While There is Life, There is Hope
by TFaTFreak207
Summary: Letty Saunders lived in hiding for two years, keeping her new life and Julian under the radar from authorities, old friends and old enemies. She had endured enough struggles and wanted to put her old life as Letty Ortiz behind her, but after catching up with someone from her past and falling for his brother, life becomes complicated. Especially when an old flame resurfaces.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Disclaimer: As much as I love these movies, I don't own anything from the franchise.**_

_**Title: While There is Life, There is Hope**_

_**Rating: M (Strong language, drug use, sexual situations, violence)**_

_**Summary: Letty Saunders lived in hiding for two years, keeping her new life and Julian under the radar from authorities, old friends and old enemies. She had endured enough struggles and wanted to put her old life as Letty Ortiz behind her, but after catching up with someone from her past and falling for his brother, life becomes more complicated for her. Especially when an old flame shows up on business.**_

_p.s.: OC Luke is inspired by actor Eric Balfour, OC Alvaro Koenig – Jamie McShane_

_**Chapter 1- Life**_

_**La Ceiba, Honduras**_

_Where in the world is Dominic Toretto?_

It was usually the first question on the mind of twenty-seven year-old Letty Saunders, after waking up alone for the past two years. She was on a current four-day stint in a dingy, dusty motel room in the middle of no where. The room was wrecked with her clothing, not to mention the grime from the previous room guests that had obviously been ignored by the maids. She planned to disregard the filth until she was on the road again, but taking one look over her shoulder at the tiny body lying in the bed, she mentally scolded herself for allowing him to live in such disgust. Letty quietly picked up the room, trying hard not to disturb the sleeping beauty. He was a light sleeper and terror-on-wheels when he was awake. _Just like your father,_ Letty mused.

"More like sperm donor," she said aloud. A sudden rush of frustration caused Letty to slam her dresser shut, and she received a sleepy groan in response. She sighed and ran a shaky hand through her long hair and looked over her shoulder at the sleepy gray eyes that were staring back at her.

"Mama loud," the young boy mumbled while rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Letty smiled and crawled back into the bed with her two year-old son, Julian.

"I know, baby. Mama's just thinking about Papa again. You know how mad he makes me sometimes," she talked to him as if he understood everything she was telling him.

"Papa bad?" he replied with his eyebrows raised with peculiarity. He was every bit of her.

_He __**does**__ understand me_, she thought to herself.

"Not bad, baby. Just stupid."

He laid his brown locks on her chest, but gazed up at her with eyes just like her Dad.

She was in love with her boy, Julian.

Julian Michael Ortiz. She named him after the only man she had been able to rely on – her father, Julian. He was a kind but stern man, always protecting Letty and keeping her in line. He left the War after finding out her mother was pregnant with their first child and made himself a permanent figure in her life. Three years later, her mother had passed and he was all she had left. He raised her practically in their garage, teaching Letty everything she knew about cars. He was her world until his death, when she only sixteen years old. There was one thing he taught her that she'd never forget … "_Dum vita est spes est"._

_While there is life, there is hope._

Letty was beginning to think her life was over after she lost her closest friends. She had no where to go, no one to lean on or ask for advice. She had very little money left after the tanker heist and had no idea how she was going to go on. She had given up on herself until she realized how much weight she had gained. Letty tried to chalk it up to depression, overeating to make up for her misery. But when her feet swelled and the morning sickness began, she instantly knew life was about to get harder. Letty struggled internally with the thought of bringing another life into this world considering her financial and living state, but giving him up wasn't an option. Not to mention the father could only be one person, and Lord only knew which part of the world he was shacked up in, and who he was with. She tried to keep the latter out of her mind as much as possible.

Letty was truly confused with the dilemma until the day she gave birth to her 6 ½ pound bundle of joy. With a head-full of dark curls and deep gray eyes, Julian had stolen her heart already. Being as she knew next to nothing about newborns, she was surprised when he opened his eyes to see gray, not dark brown. The midwife assured her they would eventually darken to brown, but she wasn't sure she wanted them to. It was like having a piece of her dad with her again.

It was then – staring into the eyes of something so perfect … something she created - that she understood those words her father embedded in her brain; _while there is life, there is hope._ Letty was no longer living according to her own means, but by her infant child. Julian was a miracle that kicked Letty in the ass, giving her a new lease on life.

But how she ended up living in a filthy motel room was beside her. She knew what lead her there in the first place, though – _Dom_. After her ordeal in Mexico, Letty decided it was best to fall off the face of the earth and allow everyone to believe she had perished in a horrific car crash. She was at her wits end and was tired of chasing everyone down, when no one had come looking for her. She was tired of living for a man who she couldn't rely on to rescue her, like she had him so many times before. To her, Dom was selfish, self-centered, and a fraud. He was the complete opposite of everything he claimed to stand for. He didn't care about family – he never hesitated to leave his family when the heat was on. Every get-rich-quick scheme they went through as family was _his_ idea, with no room for opposition. He made the choice to leave her in that bungalow in the Dominican Republic, much to her dismay. He was the reason she was now living her life on edge, unable to go back home to L.A where she was born and raised.

Letty swore to herself that she would raise Julian to be a stand-up guy. A_ real_ family man.

For nearly a decade, Letty lived life according to Dominic Toretto. Went where he ran to, followed his orders like everyone else who was in his circle. She didn't even want a life for herself before, as long as she had Dominic at her side. He was her rock, her other half. She envisioned herself being with him until the end of time, having little Dom's and being a family. But that idea evaporated into thin air when she woke up that morning in the Dominican Republic alone, with only ten grand and his silver cross as a remembrance of him.

Or at least she thought.

Now, Letty was living only for herself and her son, with only his needs to care for. She was done wasting her time and risking her life for a man who couldn't live up to his promises. Letty was proud to say she and her baby had an opportunity to start fresh with nothing holding her back...

_Especially_ Dominic Toretto.

When she wasn't pampering Julian, her thoughts and time were spent on the only thing that kept her mind off _him – _working on Jesse's '95 Volkswagen Jetta. She would follow a daily routine: make sure J was happy, shower, make herself somewhat presentable, then tinker on the precious hunk of metal. After Mexico, she miraculously got in touch with Hector from L.A. and begged him to locate and ship the car to her at an abandoned address in the Dominican Republic, to avoid being tracked. No one knew she was alive and she wanted to keep it that way. When she picked up the ride, her heart sank at the sight of the bullet-riddled sides and rear. Jesse would be distraught to see his prized-possession in such conditions, with rusting doors and no wheels. Letty couldn't bare for Jesse to see it this way anymore; she had decided the best hands for the car were hers.

Soon after realizing J didn't plan on going back to sleep, Letty grabbed a few of his toys and her bag of tools and made her way outside. Thankfully it wasn't painfully hot – Julian hated the heat as much as she did.

"Ah, if it isn't my favorite noisy neighbor," a voice called from behind her. She rolled her eyes and pretended she didn't hear the annoying man. Her next door neighbor tried every morning this week to have a conversation and was given the cold shoulder. Letty wasn't up for making new friends. "You know, I still didn't get your name..." he trailed off.

"I didn't give it," she replied dryly, keeping her head under the hood and an eye on Julian in the backseat enjoying his Tonka trucks.

"Right. What's up, little guy?" Julian only looked up with a small smile. Letty couldn't help but smile at his bad habits that he picked up. "Well nice speaking at you two. My name is Lucas by the way. You can call me Luke, though," the man said with a particular cheeriness in his voice that irritated her. Yet, his voice was soft and smooth, something she wasn't use to. Dom's voice was rough and gravely; that hypnotizing voice always touched her core.

"Yeah, I heard last night. And this morning," she murmured, shuttering at the thought of hearing Luke's night of passion. "How about I just call you nothing and we call this done? Hm?"

Luke chuckled nervously and changed the subject quickly.

"So whatcha working on there? Jetta, huh? Nice ride."

"It belonged to a buddy of mine. It's just keeping me company for a while," she answered vaguely; she didn't know him well enough to give him the details.

"I see. So where you guys headed? Nobody comes out here to vacation. It isn't exactly the Ritz," Luke continued to talk to her back, since she refused to acknowledge him standing there.

"Why the hell are you asking so many questions? You a cop or something?" she finally snapped, whirling around to look at him. She got quiet instantly at the sight of his big hazel eyes and long shaggy hair that hung over his eyes slightly. He had thin lips but his neatly trimmed facial hair made them look delectable. He was tall and scrawny, not her type at all but he had a playful innocence about him that she liked.

"I ain't no cop. Just being friendly, girl. I'll leave you to your racket," he turned to go back into his room, but her hand on his bare shoulder stopped him.

"I'm sorry, just a little on edge. You know anything about cars?" she asked, the bitterness subdued for now. Judging by the custom blacked-out Mazda 6 he revved a little too loud every night outside her room, she figured he had some car knowledge.

"You could say that. What's her problem?"

And just like that, a strange friendship was created between the two. Letty wasn't sure why she found this man so harmless, but she began to trust him – a little. After another two weeks of back and forth banter with this man – who was only twenty-two years old – Letty looked forward to hanging with him every day. She wasn't sure how she'd feel about having any man around her son; she didn't want Julian to get the wrong idea. But Luke was good with Julian.

He was good with her, too. Luke didn't question her past or where she was headed, and she preferred it that way. She enjoyed his company, but didn't want to get too comfortable around him. Like he said to her: no one came to this place for vacation. He would leave eventually and she and J would be alone again. She wanted to be prepared this time.

But to be honest, it was his companionship that kept her at the distasteful motel for so long. She missed the camaraderie of having a good friend around. He reminded her of the friends she grew up with – even if he still didn't know her name.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews! I'm still a little iffy but let's see what happens.**

_**Chapter 2-Love Thy Sexy Neighbor**_

"So you don't race anymore? I find that hard to believe."

Letty smirked from behind her cold Corona at Luke's words. The friends were kicked back outside the motel in lawn chairs several weeks later, enjoying the warm weather with cool drinks and Luke's RC cars. Letty sat in a fit of giggles as she watched Julian chase the toys enthusiastically while the adults continued to get to know one another. Letty let Luke in on her racing history, telling him how she was one of the founding members of the greatest street-racing teams in southern California. She didn't mention any names, but described how electrifying and hell-raising her former team was to his listening ears, making sure to leave out their _extracurricular_ activities.

"I'm serious man. I haven't raced since the kid was born," said Letty with a sadness in her eyes.

"Why not?"

"Honestly?" she quirked a brow at him. Luke nodded slightly. "I'm scared shitless."

It was a harsh reality that had set in a few months after Julian was born. She had no fucking clue how to raise a child, but she knew she never wanted to leave him without a father AND a mother. Since she was a mother now, Letty couldn't afford to risk her life or freedom for a few minutes of adrenaline. If she was busted for any illegal crime – especially street racing and because of her affiliation with Dominic Toretto – it was no doubt in her mind she would be going to jail for a long time and Julian...Lord only knows where he'd end up.

_Guilty by association._

Dominic had pissed on and pissed off every federal and state police official he came into contact with, so surely anyone associated with him was guaranteed to do hard time if captured, a reality Letty wasn't ready to face. She was the only family her son had left and she would die before anyone came in between them, a promise she made to him after he was placed in her arms for the first time.

"What about you? You race?" she was tired of being under the scope.

"Every once in a while," Luke said as he kneeled down next to Julian, showing the toddler how to work the car himself. Letty tilted her head to the left a tad and watched the interaction closely. Letty's heart ached at the site of Luke with Julian; that should've been _Dom_ out there with his son, teaching him how work a remote-controlled car. But Julian liked Luke, which was strange because he usually didn't take to strangers (much like his mother). He seized crying anytime he was in Luke's arms and whined for the young man when play-time was over. It was clear that her son had become attached to Luke.

Maybe she had too.

"I used to go like every weekend, but I've lost my spark a bit. Been running around, doing odd jobs for friends of my dads. Fixing 'em up, making 'em pretty again," he smiled up at her and Letty smirked at slight Southern accent mixed in his words. "My brother actually helped me restore the Mazda. Yeah, he's a bad-ass racer too, damn good mechanic. He taught me everything I know."

"Sounds like my kinda guy," Letty's mind wondered...if Luke was this good-looking, his brother had to be a beauty.

Luke's body drowned out his words to Letty's ears as she looked a little closer at him, her eyes glued to his ripped muscles that gleamed from the sheet of sweat that covered his sun-kissed skin. Her eyes traveled down his biceps to his large hands that could undoubtedly keep a woman happy. Letty scanned her eyes down his chest that his sweaty wife-beater clung to deliciously. His pecs and abs were imprinted in the shirt and only made Letty's mouth water more.

"...But he left and I haven't seen him since. I actually had his number in my old phone, but I go through these things like underwear-"

"Yo," she interrupted his rambling, "Give a girl a little eye candy. Lose the shirt, princess."

Lucas let out a hearty laugh but did as he was told, pulling the sweat-drenched tank over his head and playfully tossing it at Letty. She laughed – her first real laugh in a long time – while twirling the shirt above her head. When he stood upright to laugh harder, she got a great frontal view of Luke and couldn't deny it any longer...

Letty wanted Luke.

She admired his defined muscles and the tattoos that decorated his skin, including one that made her legs quiver – a quote in perfect cursive that read _Amor Vincit Omnia_ with tribal designs inked right below his belly button.

Yeah, he wasn't her type, but after having no male company for two years, he was looking like a steak that she was ready to devour. Besides, every woman had her fantasies about her younger neighbor, right?

Letty was so wrapped up in drooling over Luke, she barely noticed Julian crawling into her lap. When he yanked on her ponytail so hard that she spilled her beer all over her own tank, couldn't help but smile at his perseverance.

"That played out so well. Now, your turn," Luke smiled brightly with flirting eyes, waiting her shirt to disappear.

"I don't think so, Playboy," she rolled her eyes quickly. "What is it J?"

"Eat, Mama. Ju-Ju hungry," his adorable gray eyes were hard for Letty ignore. Though he had her father's eyes, every other feature was plucked straight from Dom. The full lips, the cute nose, even the long, silky brown curls that were identical to Dom's before his hairless days.

"Feed us?" Letty looked over with puppy-dog eyes.

"Meet me at the Mazda in a few minutes. Let me clean up," Luke said as he gathered his toy cars.

The three sat in the back of a small, local diner, picking at the mediocre meals. The food was bland, but the relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff made it their favorite place to do lunch. Their waitress, an older woman with kind brown eyes and graying black hair named Benita, absolutely adored Julian, often comparing him to her grandchildren. Every visit, Benita would go out her way to get a smile out of him by making his favorite meal – pancakes – even if it wasn't on the menu. Even though Julian didn't enjoy many people, he seemed to love Benita. She reminded Letty a lot of her abuelita.

"So," Luke started after a few minutes of silence, "You think I'm deserving of a name now?"

Letty stopped chewing, but didn't look up from her club sandwich. She knew in her heart that it wasn't fair to keep something so miniscule from Lucas when he had been so trusting to her. _Maybe I'm being paranoid_, she thought before swallowing her food.

"Letty. My name is Letty Saunders."

He tried it out on his tongue and nodded with a smile of appreciation, shoveling more food into his mouth soon after. Letty didn't want to admit how strange it felt, hearing another man say her name. Two years had gone by since hearing anyone other than her midwife say her name.

And she _really _didn't want to admit that it gave her chills the way it rolled off Luke's tongue.

Letty just stared at him while he ate. As much as she hated the thought of new people coming in her and Julian life, she couldn't deny her attraction to Luke. He was charming and sexy - two traits Letty couldn't resist in a man. But Lucas was the complete opposite of what she was used to; he wasn't aggressive or very dominant, not to mention she was five years his senior. He was still so young in her eyes, with no clue of what the real world was like.

But Luke acted ahead of his years and very carefree, something that made life a little enjoyable for Letty.

_At least for now._

There were several "flaws", though, that kept her from acting on any burning desire she had for the man. A physical relationship would make things heavier when it was their time to move on from the motel. Not to mention having _you know who_ still nagging her conscience, but every day with Luke and Julian made it easier to peel away the hold he still had on her heart.

Did she feel guilty for being interested in someone who wasn't Dom? Sure, but she wasn't naive to think he hadn't been with anyone in the two years they had been apart. Dom was a flirt and it wouldn't be hard finding a woman to keep his bed warm at night. Letty didn't even want to try to wrap her brain around the thought of just how many women he had been with. For all she knew, he could be settled down with a wife and children of his own now.

The thought made her nauseous.

She understood that everyone, including Dominic, believed her to be dead. Letty only wondered how quickly he had moved on to the first skank.

Luke made eye contact, and for a split second, she thought maybe he could read her mind. He gave a wide smile of pretty white teeth and returned back to his food.

She didn't know why, but Letty smiled back and tucked a stray hair behind her ear, a nervous habit that always ended with her cheeks reddening and her smiling like an idiot. This time wasn't any different. Deciding turning away would be best, Letty looked down at the only man she'd ever need...and he was covered in sticky syrup and Cheerios and his favorite shirt (displaying a smiling yellow sponge that Letty concluded she'd never understand) was drenched in milk. She smiled at his messiness and wiped his face clean with a napkin.

Little did Letty know, Benita had watched her interaction with Luke closely and was coming over to make it known.

"Honey, I think you need that napkin more than he does, the way you're drooling over Handsome here," she smirked knowingly as the redness returned to Letty's cheeks.

Letty hesitated to open her eyes to avoid the embarrassing situation. When she finally did, Lucas was grinning like a kid on Christmas.

"And you, young man," she turned her wrath on him. Benita's English was nearly perfect and made Letty question where she was from considering they were outskirts of Honduras somewhere. Hardly anyone spoke fluent English. "You better hurry and ask her out before whatever it is holding her back from jumping you in this diner messes up your chance."

Letty's jaw hit the floor and she could only cover her face to hide her shock. When she moved her hands from her face, Luke was smiling brightly at her, his face ten shades redder than usual.

"Well..." he trailed off while reaching over to pull Julian over onto his lap. He cleaned the toddler's face again, then turned back to Letty, "You wanna go out with me?"

A thousand reasons ran through her mind why it would be a bad idea to get involved with Lucas, but Letty couldn't keep her lips from forming a 'yes'.

Suddenly, she shook her head clear of the sinful thoughts that currently flooded her mind and spoke again, "There is no way. I have Julian and no babysitter."

"Oh sugar, don't use excuses. I'll keep that beautiful boy of yours for a couple hours. My nietos are coming over for the night and one more wouldn't hurt. I'm sure he can use a break from you two," Benita mumbled as she collected their used plates.

Letty was hesitant to allow virtually a stranger to look after her child, but Benita seemed too sweet to want to harm anyone. Letty was willing to take this chance for a night out with Luke.

"Take a chance, Letty," Luke looked directly at her pink lips, causing her tongue to dart out over her bottom lip out of habit.

"Okay," she gave in. "When and where?"

"Tonight. I know the perfect place inside of town," Luke said with an excited smile.


	3. Chapter 3

_**I know Luke seems a bit farfetched, but you'll have to keep reading to see what his deal is. I know he and Letty seem like a strange pair, but I find him sexy in a weird way lol.**_

_**Chapter 3-Making New Friends**_

_**San Andres Island, Colombia**_

Alvaro Koenig rolled up the sleeves to his dress shirt and took a deep breath before swinging the golf club as hard as he could, launching the ball right into the forehead of a drug-addicted man only a few feet in front of him. The man was on his knees with both of his arms being held by large brutes in black trench coats, disabling his ability to move or escape. He screamed in agony, but his cries went unheard. The neighbors kept to themselves and he lived alone in his condo.

Koenig took a drag off his cigar and waited for his right-hand, a 6-3" German with a nasty attitude named Dragov, to replace the ball for another swing. The victim cried silently for someone to find him, but he knew it was unlikely. Alvaro Koenig was one of the most feared men in Europe and undoubtedly wanted on several continents. Even if he was miraculously found, no one would have the gull to go against Koenig.

"You, Mr. Hernandez, have made business quite shitty for me as of late. When you stole that car-"

"Won! I won that fucking car, you donkey!" He decided if he was going to die this way, he wouldn't make it easy on his attackers. He would soon regret it as Dragov placed a heavy, steel-toed boot in his gut, forcing the wind out of his lungs.

"I don't like being interrupted, Leonardo. It's rude," Koenig lined up with the ball, ready to tee-off again. "Anyways. How you came in contact with _my_ car isn't of importance. It's actually unfortunate. But what is important, my friend, is the contents of that car. More than half a million dollars in merchandise, tucked away neatly in said vehicle. Do you see why I need it back? Mr. Hernandez, I need to know where that car is."

He gave the man a moment to save himself more agony and fess up. Koenig didn't mind torturing men; it wasn't personal, just a part of the business.

"I remember now. It's parked in your momma's driveway. I left it as a gift after she blew me. She's got great skills, but I'm sure you already know that."

His smart-aleck remark was rewarded when Koenig swung the club hard against his face, blood spewing from his mouth. Leonardo spit away the excess bodily fluids and smiled a bloody grin at Koenig. He knew he was getting under the guy's skin.

"You must not take me very seriously, Leonardo. I'm a very dangerous man, my friend. I'm also a very serious business man and I cannot have some junkie punk in the middle of my business. Now, I have a plane to catch, so I'm gonna try to make this simple for you. I'm looking for my car – a black Porsche Carrera GT worth a ton of money. You have one month to get me that car. If for some reason the car is … incapacitated … you need to gather up about 500,000 dollars and we will call it even."

"And if I say fuck you and your car?"

Alvaro pulled several photos from his black slacks and tossed them on the ground to give Leon a good look at them. His breath hitched as he saw the surveillance photos of his baby brother outside of a motel, standing in front of that beautiful black Mazda that Leon helped him build. Leon stared blankly at the other; it was of his brother talking to a woman holding a child, but her back was to the camera. The final one was a photo of the passenger in the Mazda outside a diner. Her dark hair was cast over her shoulders and she looked out the window with a curious eye. The deep car tint made it hard to see her face clearly, but Leon would never forget those hypnotizing eyes.

"It can't be..." he whispered to himself, unable to take his eyes off the picture. "Who is this woman?"

"You and I both know that is. It's almost like she rose from the grave, hm?" Alvaro said with a cynical chuckle.

Leon had attended his good friend's funeral himself, reuniting with Mia and others friends for the somber event. He had watched her body lowered into the ground. _Well, at least the casket_, he thought. She looked different to him. Her hair was longer, and her body was toner, if that was possible. The years had been good to her, for sure. He could only wonder how beautiful she looked in person.

"I know these people mean a lot to you. I can tell by the look on your face. If I don't receive either my car or my money in one month, this beautiful lady will be all mine. And the kid and your kid brother are dead."

"You better not go near them. I will fucking slit your throat if you go near any of them!" Leon yelled as tears pricked at his eyes.

"It's not nice to make threats, Leon," Koenig handed the club to Dragov and slid back into his blazer, "Now, one month. The Porsche or 500 grand, or I make your life a living hell. The people you love most will suffer because of you, Leon. And I start with Letty Ortiz," Koenig admired the photo of Letty again. "I bet she has great blowing skills."

"Let's hope your little drug problem hasn't sealed the fate of the ones you love, Leonardo. I'll bet in touch."

Koenig led his men out of Leon's beach-side loft, but Dragov stayed behind. He shoved Leon's body to floor with brute force and kicked him several times in the stomach, surely breaking several of Leon's ribs with the steel-toed boots. Leon curled into the fetal position to try to prevent more physical damage being done, but that only left his head more vulnerable to attack. Leon looked up when the strikes stopped and took one deep breath as he watched Dragov's boot lower toward his head, knocking him unconscious instantly.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't mind, Benita? He can always come with-" Letty started as she stood outside of Benita's home later that evening.

"Don't be crazy. You go out with Lucas and have a good time. Julian will be just fine. And you have my number to call anytime."

Letty kneeled down to Julian's level and ran her hands over his short curly hair. "Now, you be good for Ms. Benita, okay? Mama will be back soon for you."

Julian nodded but the fear in his eyes said otherwise. The two had never been separated since he was born, so Letty's worries mimicked his own. He was a momma's boy entirely and Letty wasn't so sure how he'd behave away from her, even if it was only for a few hours.

"Oh, mijo. It's okay. Ms. Benita has all kinds of toys and pancakes-"

Julian's face lit up at the mention of his favorite food and he quickly kissed her lips before bolting in the house, his loose curls bouncing in the wind. Letty laughed at her anxious little man and stood, thanking Benita one last time before retreating to the Mazda parked in the driveway, waiting for her.

"Is he all right? He's not gonna be waiting with the shotgun if I bring you home late is he?" Luke joked as they pulled off and made their way to the city.

Letty smirked and rolled her eyes, taking in the creme-colored interior of the car. She made a mental note to ask him more about the ride later. "He's just nervous, just like I am. He hasn't been out of my sight since the day he was born," she replied, while staring out the window. Letty loved Honduras; living in the ghettos was a great experience, but as they ate up the miles closing in on the city, she couldn't help her giddiness to see the night-life.

"You look great, by the way," Luke said, putting on a wide smile on Letty's face. He saw the reflection from the window and couldn't hide his cheeky grin. Letty mentally scanned her wardrobe: she was wearing a black spaghetti-strap top under her favorite maroon leather jacket and jeans that hugged her curves. Her hair was straight and curled on the ends and she even put on mascara and lip gloss to touch-up her look. "Though I was surprised by the boots. You don't seem like the type for high-heeled knee-length boots."

Letty looked down at her feet and swallowed the lump of guilt in her throat. The boots had been a gift from Dominic, picked out by Mia for Letty's birthday years ago. Initially, she hated them, they were too girly for her. But they grew on her after being forced by to wear them any time she went out with Mia. She kept them for sentimental value, but tonight she would wear them just for her long, lost friend.

"They were a gift from a friend. Can't quite let them go," Letty managed with a somber voice.

Luke sensed her mood change and tried to brighten it, "You'll love this little place we're going. Best food in the city."

"I'm guessing you take each of your flavors there?" she asked sarcastically.

"Ouch," he laughed, holding his chest pretending to feel insulted. "No. My father and I did a lot of traveling before he passed. This was our favorite place to come."

Just then, the couple pulled up to the doors of a quaint place called _Expatriates Bar & Grill_, a dark but torch-lit establishment right on the beach that was packed with smiling faces and a large straw hut for a roof. It had a warm ambiance and Letty gave him an appreciative nod.

"Ay, it's little Luke!" a boisterous voice belonging to an elder man called out as he approached the car door. He was short and stocky with a noticeable limp and had a mustache that rivaled Magnum P.I. himself, Letty thought. Luke rolled his eyes as he and his date exited the car. "¿Con una hermosa mujer llegó esta vez? Buena para usted. _(You came with a beautiful woman this time? Good for you.)_"

"L, this old hornball is Rodrigo. Regular pain in my ass and honorary uncle."

Letty laughed as the wrinkle-faced man kissed her cheek and his impressive mustache tickled her skin. He spun her around and took a good look at the whole package, giving Luke a pat on the back.

Luke cut in before the rambunctious old man tried to run off with his date, "Bueno, puedes viejo pedo, dejarla ir. _(Alright, you old fart, let her go.)_"

Letty was surprised at how superb his Spanish was and waited until they were seated with fresh Corona's before questioning him about it and Rodrigo.

"He's been working here forever. He and my Dad were close when we lived here a while ago. He usually doesn't approve of the female company I keep, so feel special."

Letty chuckled and downed her first beer in record time. Her palms were sweaty as she waved the waiter over and ordered him to keep them coming. Twisting open her second brew, Letty tried to steer her mind away from Julian, just long enough to relax and have a good time with Luke but it was no use. She wondered if he was throwing a temper tantrum right now, kicking and screaming for her. Letty began to grow anxious and wondered if she had made a mistake.

Luke followed her sad gaze to a nearby family and their smiling toddler who was having too much with a bottle of bubbles.

"Go call and check on the kid. I'll get us some appetizers to start us off," he said, reading her expression easily.

Letty gave him a cordial smile and stood from the table, leaning over to place a warm kiss on his cheek. Her hand rested against his chest and she had to fight the urge of reaching under his shirt and counting his abs one-by-one. She didn't want to pull away, and didn't until the last second, dragging her hand across his chest and down his shoulder. Letty sighed and slipped out a side door, which looked out onto the beautiful Caribbean waters. She inhaled the scent of the ocean and felt her nerves calm.

Something about the beach always made her feel like things would be okay, even if they weren't.

Letty leaned over the railing and pulled out her pre-pay phone (for the first time in over a month) and dialed the number she forced herself to memorize.

"_Hola, Ms. Letty. Hour and a half, I was expecting sooner,_" Benita's cheery voice answered after two rings.

"How is he?" Letty was straight to the point.

"_Just fine. Listen_," her voice was gone and Letty could hear children's laughter and ruckus in the background. She identified Julian's laugh easily and felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders. _"See. He and my little Eduardo are having too much fun with these Tonka trucks. I'll give them a snack then put him down for bed."_

"Thank you so much, Benita. You have really helped me out tonight."

"_When I meet someone as adorable and obvious as you are, honey, I try to give them a little push in the right direction. Luke is a good kid, he's been coming in the diner for years, and you're the only girl he's brought back,_" Letty could feel her blush come back as she smiled at Benita's words. _"Just don't be too hard on him. He's been lonely after his father passed and the girls he picks up are only after his inheritance."_

Letty was surprised to hear this.

"Inheritance?"

"_Oh yes, honey. Lenny left him a lot of money. But you don't seem like the type to fake how you feel about someone. Take care of him. He is a son to this entire city and nobody wants to see him hurt."_

Letty wrapped up the conversation with Benita before stepping back into the restaurant. Luke appeared bored, flicking a tortilla chip in his mouth as he waited for his date to return. He grinned when she plopped back down in front of him.

"I thought you ditched me. I was starting to feel like a real loser," he gave a nervous chuckle. Letty liked his shyness for some reason.

"Come on now," she started, popping a salsa-covered chip into her mouth. "I'm a bitch, but not that big of one."

Letty and Luke talked the next hour about any and everything. She learned that his father, a half-Cuban named Leonardo "Lenny" Hernandez Sr, was a big wig in the international and US cigar trade business and was a very wealthy man. Lenny and his wife, Sophia, split when Luke was just a child, both taking off to opposite ends of the country. Luke's older brother and their mother took off to L.A, while he stayed with his father in Florida. They spent the past few years touring and sight-seeing every country in South America and Europe until his sudden death last year.

"Since then, I've just been bouncing around," he shrugged, casting his eyes down at his plate. It was obvious he was still dealing with the pain of losing seemingly the only family he had left.

"So why the hell are you living at that dump? Shouldn't you be like in the Ritz or something?" Letty wormed her way around the topic of his inheritance, she didn't want to come off as greedy. She wasn't a gold digger, just curious of how deep his pockets were.

"I don't like the rich kid scene. I've always been a simple guy. Plus, had I been at a Ritz, I wouldn't have met you."

Letty couldn't help but smile at his flirtation. She could see why he was a very hot commodity with the ladies; he was a smooth talker.

"So I've told you my life story and I only just learned your name. Can I squeeze one little thing out of you?"

Letty was hesitant to spill her secrets, but she had to make an effort.

"Shoot," she said, preparing herself for his inquiry.

Luke paused for a moment, almost like he was afraid to speak what he wanted to know, "Where is Julian's father?"

Letty nearly choked on her third Corona at the question of the year.


	4. Chapter 4

_**This is just a filler really. More good stuff coming soon, just stick with me. Please leave me some feedback.**_

_**Chapter 4- In Too Deep**_

"Where is his father?" Luke asked without any reluctance, tearing into his steak while waiting for her response.

Letty was so caught off guard by Luke's question of Dom's whereabouts that she could feel her hand tightening around her beer bottle. Her hands were shaky as she released her hold on the innocent beverage and sat it gently on the table.

Sighing, Letty cleared her throat before speaking, "That is the million-dollar question."

Luke quirked a confused brow, "You don't know who his dad is?"

"Oh I know exactly who he is. I just have no fucking clue _where_ he is," Letty responded through clenched teeth.

"Whoa," Luke sat back in his chair with guilt. "Your entire aura changed. This guy a scumbag?"

Dominic was the last thing Letty wanted to discuss, especially while on a date with another guy. The range of emotions his name sent her through was enough to have her running for the hills, but Letty wouldn't run this time. She had to face her demons eventually.

"Something like that. We were together since we were teens, eight long years. We were Bonnie and Clyde. I stuck by his side through everything until I woke up one morning and he was gone. We were in a lot of trouble, he said it'd be better for me, safer if he wasn't around," Letty looked down in a lost daze. "I haven't seen or heard from him since."

Letty didn't realize she was crying until she felt Luke's thumb wipe away the tears falling from her eyes. She smiled sadly and quickly down the rest of her drink, shaking off her broken-heart again.

_Even on a date, the fucker manages to screw me over._

"So he doesn't know about Julian?"

Letty covered her face with her hands, hoping to wipe away all the negative emotions her ex-lover caused. She hated that he still had such a strong hold on her mental state. Letty never let any man have such pull on her and she hated herself for letting such an arrogant prick like Dominic Toretto do so.

She shook her head, "I found out a few weeks after he left."

"That's some tough shit, girl. He's missing out on a great kid and an amazingly beautiful woman."

Luke's words made her heart flutter and Letty could feel the heat rising from her chest. It had been a while since she felt beautiful, and even longer since she heard someone say it.

_Dom used to call me that every day_, Letty thought.

"Wanna go get the munchkin? I'm stuffed," Luke said, looking down at the crumbs and bones of the meals they devoured just a while earlier.

"Yeah, man. Those wings were awesome, though. Thanks for bringing me here," she smiled warmly as he tossed a few bills as a tip on the table.

"Oi! Pretty lady! I see the boy didn't scare you off yet," Rodrigo smiled as he parked the Mazda in front of the restaurant and handed over the keys.

Letty wrapped her arm around his waist and gave Rodrigo a sultry smile, "Oh no, Rodrigo. I'm gonna take him home and do dirty, _filthy _things to him. Ciao."

She laughed as Luke practically pushed her into the car and ran around to the driver side. Letty looked over at the bashful look on Rodrigo's face and gave him a wink before they sped off towards Benita's.

Leon groaned as he finally came to, cradling his head in agony. His body ached all over and he felt like his head was in the center of a bass drum. He tried to remember why he was in so much pain, but the wreckage of furniture and personal belongings in his home quickly refreshed his memory. Not to mention the strong taste of copper in his mouth.

Leon succeeded in dragging his pained body to an upright position, careful not to move too fast to keep the room from spinning. He used a nearby chair to hoist himself up and stagger to the kitchen, yanking open the stainless-steel freezer. He pulled out the first frozen food he saw – chicken fingers – and clinched them against his aching ribs. Leon grabbed another cold bag, this time of frozen veggies, and hoped it would ease his throbbing headache. He popped a few painkillers and made his way back to the room where he was previously tortured, stopping in front of the photographs on the floor. Leon could feel the tears pricking at his eyes, but he blinked them away quickly.

His breath hitched as he looked over the pictures again, this time carefully examining each photo. He hadn't seen either of the people in the pictures in years. He had been to Letty's funeral; he had no clue that she was, in fact, very alive and with child, nonetheless. The last he heard of her was that she was killed during a race.

And Luke...well Leon hadn't seen his own brother in two years since his father's funeral.

_What the hell have I drug them into?_ Leon thought repeatedly as he flopped down on his plush, creme-colored sofa. _How the hell do I get out of this one?_

Leon picked up the pictures and his cell phone before stepping out onto the balcony of his condo in Colombia. His eyes gazed over at the beautiful Caribbean surf; it brought back memories of the team's weekly beach trips and how close they grew during a few hours in the sand. Now, he had no clue where half of the team was, or if any were in prison or even still alive.

After the semi heists in L.A, Leon fled to Baja, Mexico with Dom and Letty until the heat back home died down. He wanted to wait with Jesse, hoping he'd pull through after the attack from Tran so they could flee down south with the others. But when he received the news from Mia that his best pal Jesse had succumbed to his injuries just a week later, Leon bolted again. Completely distraught, he bounced in and out of the U.S before finally landing in Miami, Florida. There, he reconnected with his father Leonard Sr. and his baby brother, Lucas.

The two men were close as children, with Lucas being only three years younger than Leon. Leon harbored hatred for his parents splitting them up, but that didn't stop him from calling every day or going to visit during the summers.

Leon stayed with Luke for over two years before moving on to the Dominic Republic, where he met up with Dom and Letty again. The three manned a small garage with the help of two outsiders, Tego and Rico. But when Han showed up, Leon knew this reunion wasn't to hang out – Dom wanted to go back to "work". Leon promised himself after Jesse passed that he was done with Dominic's schemes, so he left again. This time to Colombia where Vince was living with his girlfriend, Rosa and working odd jobs in the housing complex in which they lived. The two friends took the Spanish country by storm, racing and beating every contender on the scene while enjoying the steady cash flow. But when V got wind of a big-payoff job, he and Rosa split, leaving Leon alone once again.

Being alone in a foreign country took its toll on Leon. He built a makeshift team of racers, they were okay, but nothing like Team Toretto. The muscle of the crew, a rowdy white guy named James, was dealing cocaine at the races, earning the crew extra cash for car parts and upgrades. After feverishly being convinced that the highly-addictive drug was a performance-enhancer not only in bed but on the blacktop by James, Leon began each night by snorting thick white lines of the drug. He admitted, the adrenaline rush he received while high in a race only pushed him further into the addiction, but now he was in too deep.

_**Flashback**_

"_Oh shit Leo! Look at all this pretty, white money!" James said happily as he and the crew stood around their new shipment of Colombian cocaine: two kilos packed tightly in clear wrapping._

"_Can I do the honors?" Leon smiled, standing with his pocket knife ready to sample their product. The gang cheered as he cut into the brick, scooping just enough to intensify his racing rush. They watched as Leon happily indulged himself in the substance, passing the knife around for everyone to enjoy._

"_This is good shit, so it won't be hard to push at the races tonight. Carlos and Jerry, you two are dealing tonight," he said to the only Colombian natives of the team. "Red, I need you on the scanners. We can't have any bullshit like last week, though, with the cops busting in 'cause you were too busy getting your rocks off. Jorgie is facing a shit ton of prison time now that he got busted. Stay focused."_

_The fiery red-head rolled her eyes, "Bite me, Leo. You're just mad that chica went home with me and not you," she smiled, picking her fingernails with her own knife. "Besides, Jorgie was a screw-up anyways. He got busted because he sold to an undercover. Not because I was picking up chicks."_

"_Whatever," Leon waved her off. He wasn't in the mood to go at it with the strong-willed lesbian. She was worse than Letty, he always thought. "James and I will do the racing."_

"_When am I gonna get to race man? I'm ready to get out there," Jerry, a professional computer hacker, asked._

"_I need you and Carlos out there with the crowd tonight. You guys are the only ones who can communicate with the locals without sounding like a total idiot. You'll get your chance soon, dawg."_

_That night, Leon and his dysfunctional crew ruled the races, providing the best quality high and entertainment for the entire night. When Leon and his restored bright yellow '97 Nissan Supra were up to bat, a newcomer with a dirty beard and a bad accent joined him at the line._

"_Last race is always special circumstances. You up for that, big guy?" Leon questioned with glazed eyes. He was very much enjoying his high and he couldn't wait to add unadulterated speed to it. The brute only smiled and leaned closer to his black Porsche Carrera GT with his arms crossed. "Pinks."_

_The man's eyes nearly bulged out of his head, and with a quick look at the car, he recovered and put on his smug smile again. He shrugged as if to say it made no difference to him, and Leon could smell victory in his near future._

"_Man of few words huh? Very smart tactic," Leon smiled before slipping inside is Supra._

_The two suped-up rides lined up and Leon looked over at the beautiful car one last time before they flew off the line towards the finish. The battle was back and forth and momentarily Leon worried if he was about to lose his precious ride, but all worry was washed away when he activated his NOS and launched his car over the line a car length ahead of the Porsche._

_When everyone returned back to the start, the black car was no where to be found._

"_That pussy ducked out, Le. You won that fair and square," James griped to Leon. He hated people who reneged on race conditions._

"_Don't sweat it, J. We'll see him around," Leon said, calming his easily-angered friend. Leon had seen it many times; clowns with enough mouth to toss up their slips, but once the race was over, they didn't have the balls to hand another man the keys to their car._

_The team partied later that night at their tiny three-bedroom place, enjoying every skirt, beer, and powdered line that crossed their paths. After calling it a night, on the route to drop off some female company, Leon and James spotted "his" new Porsche at a stoplight._

"_Cocksucker," Leon muttered as he pulled up behind it. Leon reached into the glove box and pulled out his .9mm handgun._

"_Go get your car. I'll drive," James said from the passenger seat._

_Leon cocked the chamber back and approached the rear of the car slowly. He aimed his weapon at the man's shocked face through the window and yanked the door open._

"_We meet again. Where you headed, buddy?" he asked with fake sincerity as he grabbed the giant by the collar of his shirt and dragged him out of the vehicle._

"_You're making a fatal mistake," the driver said, standing next the car as Leon got in._

"_Then fuck off before I make another," he growled in annoyance, pointing his gun at the man's head. He held his ground until the man with the weird accent took off running down the road._

_**End of flashback**_

"Fuck!" Leon yelled with frustration from the balcony.

Staggering back through the sliding doors and snatching his keys from the marble island in the kitchen, Leon stormed out of his place like a mad man and made his way to the parking garage. He pressed the button to locate his baby and smiled when she lit up the entire garage. He ran to the Supra and slipped in, speeding out of the garage. He dialed a familiar number on his cell, but received no answer.

"Luke! Pick up!" Leon yelled at the automated answering machine on the other in.

He knew he had a month before Koenig would go after his family, but he didn't trust that the kingpin hadn't already killed them. Frustrated, Leon threw his phone in the back seat and sped to his crew's warehouse.

He was definitely going to need some help.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for all of the reviews so far. You guys make doing this worth it. Also, thanks to the reviewer for pointing out my mistake: I did mean TOYOTA Supra, not Nissan. Sorry, sometimes my fingers go and I hardly realize these things, even after proof-reading for hours. And as for the other situation, all I have to say is … I think Dotty is a relationship that cannot be broken, not even by death. Please read and leave me feedback!**

_**Chapter 5-Dinner for Two**_

_**Tokyo, Japan**_

He groaned loud enough to shake the walls in his tiny apartment, promising to kill whoever would be calling him at five in the morning. Watching the sunrise every morning, he was always able to guess what time it was simply from the pink and yellow hues coming from his balcony windows. Reaching for the offending device, he read the name on the caller ID and ignored it. He removed his other arm from the blonde sleeping soundly next to him and tossed his legs over the edge, waiting for the blood flow to regulate before slipping his jeans over his naked body.

"Hey," he nudged the woman slightly. She peeked her eyes open, taking in the beautiful topless man standing over her. "Beat it," he said as he nodded towards the door.

She whimpered but rolled out of bed and gathered her belongings unhappily. She hoped to be the one to spend more than a few hours in his bed like every other woman who entered his home, but knew it was unlikely. He was a loner, many realized, and she knew she was farfetched to win that lucky spot in his life.

He waited until the door slammed behind her before answering the call.

"What Twink? I told you not to call me this early," he answered gravely into the phone. He took his conversation to the kitchen so he could start his morning coffee, a gift from the heavens after getting only three hours of sleep.

"I know, dawg, but it's important. Yak has a race for you."

"I don't care what he has. I told him already, I don't race for him or anyone else. Tell him no thanks."

"Come on, man. Kamata puts up big money, especially with a dude of your caliber behind the wheel. This is big money, dawg."

"I have plenty of money, Twinkie. Give it to the DK," he said as he poured himself a steaming cup of joe. Leaning against the countertop, he gave his two-story loft an once-over, proud of what he purchased for himself. With a skyline view from his floor-length windows of the beautiful lights of the city, he couldn't swallow the bittersweet taste in his mouth. He wished she was there with him, falling asleep to the sounds of the town every night, instead of some random bimbo.

Turning his attention to the sheer sliding doors that held his bedroom, he could see something hot pink sticking out from under his bed. With a deeper focus, he recognized the panties that belonged to his catch-of-the-night and shook his head.

"But the Yakuza is asking for you. Last time I went back without their driver... bro, you don't wanna know what they did to my business. You know how long it takes to put out burning iPods and sneakers? And how hard it is to get a new shipment of Jordan's before they release in the States? Man, I was out of commission for weeks."

Annoyed with the younger man's nonstop chatter, he sighed into the phone, "Fine, if it'll get you to shut up. Tell Kamata to give me an hour."

He disconnected the call and tossed his phone on island in front of him. Grabbing the cup, the loner walked out onto the spacious patio and in an instant, his stress was gone. He had a beautiful garden that he planted himself, tending daily to his Asiatic hybrid lilies, California poppy, and pink tulips – his mother's favorites. She raised him around her garden and helped spark his green thumb. He enjoyed it when he had the time to relax (which was never) and it was his way of keeping his mother's memory alive. The garden was his Zen, his private area that kept him sane during all the bullshit he dealt with. Sometimes when the garage wasn't enough...the beauty of nature's growth somehow got him through.

"Going soft," he whispered and smiled at his flowers. No one knew of his fascination with plants and would probably give him a hard time for it, but he didn't care. "They look good, huh Ma?" he asked to the beautifully-lit sky, where he knew his mother, Marisol, was smiling proud at him.

After another cup of coffee and a nice, hot shower, he stood in front of the mirror eying his newly-acquired facial hair. He hadn't shaved in weeks and his beard was beginning to grow haphazardly. Reaching into the medicine cabinet, he grabbed his trimmers and began edging up the unruly hair into a neat goatee-mustache combo. The irritating buzzing of his cell phone rushed him into a clean t-shirt and khakis before jogging out of the house. Running over to his self-built car garage, he lifted the door to reveal his two beauties – his black Dodge Challenger RT and an old classic, '97 Nissan 240sx S14, painted a beautiful maroon color. He gave the sentimental car a pat for good luck like always and slid into his black muscle, pulling out of the garage quickly and speeding off towards the Yakuza's restaurant.

He strutted through the doors of the restaurant, already holding his arms open wide ready for the usual weapon pat-down. He wasn't dumb enough to bring a gun into a place of business owned by the Japanese mafia; he left his piece in the car.

"Thank you, man. I owe you one," Twinkie said as he was let through by the blockade of goons.

"Trust me, I ain't gonna forget," he mumbled and made his way between the tables to the back of the restaurant.

"There he is...the man of the hour," a short, chubby man in a Fedora said with a smile, "Dominic Toretto. Please, have a seat."

* * *

Leon slammed on the breaks in front of _Jr's Repair Shop_, his team's headquarters and his only legitimate business venture. James was already standing on the curb after receiving a frantic call from his boss and friend and wondered what could've been so important that he couldn't talk about over a phone call.

"Follow me," was all Leon said as he stormed into the doors of the shop, ignoring the horrified look on James face as he took in Leon's injuries.

Leon whistled loudly, grabbing the attention of the other workers and motioned for them to follow him to their meeting room.

"What the hell happened to your face?" Red, the team's only female member, questioned as he flopped down in the first available chair in the room; his ribs were causing him a heap of pain when it came to breathing.

"Who the hell did this to you, brother? Just give me a name and he's dead," James growled as he snatched his pistol from his waistband, cocking the chamber back in anger. His blood boiled at the sight of his friend's bloody and bruised face.

"You remember that car I won in that pink-slip race a few weeks back? The black Porsche?" they nodded hastily, easily recalling the beauty and suave of the sports car. "Well apparently it belongs to Alvaro Koenig."

"Whoa. _The_ Alvaro Koenig? Like, the most dangerous dude in fucking Germany?" James couldn't believe his ears. "Serious drug kingpin Alvaro Koenig?" Leon nodded again. "What the fuck, Leo?"

"Yeah, tell me about it. That dickhead I raced is his right-hand man. Koenig showed up at my place, crashed my condo and kicked my ass. He wants his car back."

"No shit, man. So give him the car … that guy is crazy as hell," Jerry added. They all had heard about the infamous drug trafficker; he was a few sandwiches short of a picnic and wasn't afraid to cut you in two.

"Not that easy, man..." he could feel his heart ready to beat out of his chest. "I don't have the car anymore."

"Leon, what do you mean?" James asked slowly, knowing where this was headed.

"A week later I was checking under the hood, and noticed a small baggie hidden. Eventually stripped the car down and found a shit ton of meth in it." Leon wasn't surprised that Koenig wanted the car back so desperately, he just had no clue someone like _him_ would come looking for it.

"...And where is it now, Leon?" Red asked with the bridge of her nose pinched between two fingers. She remembered then why she only dated women.

"In each of your cars, precisely. Sold it for parts for our cars, invested the lot of it in the garage," he partially lied. He didn't mention that about seventy-five thousand dollars he made off the drug was stashed away somewhere private.

"How much meth are we talking? Like, a tiny bag that we can easily replace … or more?" said Robert, James' cousin and the final, seventh member of their stable, said nervously.

"About five-hundred thousand dollars worth," Leon said with his eyes closed; he didn't want to see the fear on his friend's faces. "He's giving me a month to get him his car or cash. If not, he's going to kill my brother, an old friend and her kid. I can't let that happen," Leon tossed the photographs on the table as proof of his predicament.

They erupted in shock, angry that Leon could've been so careless about such an excessive amount of the drug. They were even angrier that their leader took action without consulting them, even if it was his car.

"Let me get this straight... you came across a car that was stashing 500 grand worth of methamphetamine. You made the executive decision – without telling your right-hand by the way – to pretty much sell every crumb of it. And now you need our help to get it back?" James laughed snidely; he couldn't believe the nerve of Leon. He was always preaching to them about sticking to the team and staying loyal, yet he kept them out of the loop on lucrative business deal.

Leon stood angrily, just about sick of James' attitude, "Listen, you can be pissed at me later. Right now I gotta figure out how to stop that psychopath from killing the only family I have left. Now are you with me, or not?"

James and Leon stood nose-to-nose, each challenging the other to back down. Leon knew James was never one to back down, but right now he needed him to swallow his pride and help him get to Luke and Letty before Alvaro did.

"Sorry, boss. Your car, your family, your issues. Count me out," James snarled, ripping off his work shirt and shoving it at Leon's chest. He stormed out of the room, the door slamming behind him. Leon sighed and collapsed back into the chair, watching as Carlos and Robert followed after James.

"Well, I knew you would screw up eventually," Red's sneering voice was the last thing Leon wanted to hear as she pulled up a chair next to him. "But you're a good guy. You can count Jerry and me in."

Leon smiled up at them in appreciation. Because she was so strong-willed, he often butt heads with the American woman, much like Letty, but he was glad to have an intelligent woman and a computer-whiz genius in his corner.

"Let's go meet the familia," Jerry added in his thick Colombian accent.

"Easier said than done. Little fucker won't answer his phone," Leon said as he redialed his brother's number for the third time, still receiving no answer.

* * *

Letty smiled as her prince slept undisturbed in the back of Luke's car. She was happy to see the motel in the distance; Julian had slept the entire bumpy ride home and she hoped it would last through the night. Plus, she wasn't ready to be out of Luke's company just yet.

"You guys can hang out in my room for a while, if you want," his way of asking was smooth, and assured her he wasn't ready to be away from her either.

Letty only nodded; after downing four Corona's at the bar, the warm tingling sensation of her skin told her that going to her empty room was out of the question. Lucas carried the sleeping toddler inside, moving him to a back room while Letty admired his 'home'. It was different from hers – more spacious and cleaner, as if he had the presidential suite. The room smelled fresh of oranges – one of her favorite scents. She meddled around his living quarters, taking in the family photos and collector's toy cars that adorned nearly every surface in the room. She smiled at a particular picture – one of whom she assumed was Luke as a teen, standing next to another boy, whom she also assumed was his brother, both with toothy grins plastered on their faces. They were at the beach and the kids couldn't look happier, but Letty couldn't take her eyes off the young boy in the picture.

She had seen those emerald eyes before, but she couldn't place where. Something about him, about his smile that gave Letty a feeling of nostalgia. Maybe she missed those innocent days, when her friends and she would take their weekly beach trips and have the time of their lives. Where the only thing on the agenda was having fun and cutting loose… not ripping off truck drivers on the highway. She wished they had stayed so innocent.

"Look what I found..." Luke said from behind her, holding a full bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey and two shot glasses.

"Trying to get me drunk, huh? You know I was only kidding with Rodrigo?" she smirked as she took one of the glasses and made her way to the couch to relax. She sat down first and watched as he filled her tiny glass with the amber liquor, doing the same to his before taking a spot next to her. "I have to admit, I'm surprised how nice your place looks."

"I'm guessing you were expecting a frat house?"

"Something like that," she replied, "I'm impressed," she nodded her approval. A buzzing vibration from his pants indicated that his cell phone was ringing … for the third time in a row, Letty noticed. "You gonna get that? Could be one of your ladies."

"If I don't recognize the number, I don't answer. Besides, I like the lady I'm with now."

Letty smirked, staring into his eyes hoping to find something wrong with him. He seemed too good to be true; a cute, single guy with no children, loaded with cash and incredibly charming? She wasn't sure just how sincere his nice guy act was, but there was no inclination that he wanted to do Letty or her son any harm.

She knew what Lucas was doing, but she wasn't like other girls; she would never give away her temple without making any man work for it. Hell, it took Dominic six months to reach second base – Letty refused to be some easy lay.

"So, when are you taking off again, Christopher Columbus?" Letty asked after they both took their shot, wincing and coughing from the intense fiery drink.

Luke poured them a second shot while shrugging, "Haven't thought of it, yet. I'm comfortable where I am, now," he smiled his thousand-watt grin and she felt her insides melt. A man hadn't had such an effect on her since falling for that infamous racer when she was just twelve years old. Letty felt the radiating heat in the small distance between them and it only made her want to be closer to Luke.

Apparently Luke had the same feeling because he leaned closer to Letty, hoping to indulge in the beauty that was her lips. As if his lips were a magnet, Letty felt herself being drawn in to him also. She was anxious … she could've sworn her heart was beating loud enough for the world to hear. Letty's senses went wild as she got a sniff of his cologne; she wasn't sure how much longer she could hold back. Letty was ready to give Luke the time of his life, but couldn't ignore the loud buzzing any longer.

"Answer the damn phone, would ya?" Letty snapped, thankful for the distraction. She took the opportunity to toss back both shots, and refill the small glasses. Usually, she wasn't a fan of the hard liquor, but the harsh drink took her mind off the pulsing sensation in between her thighs.

_Get it together Leticia; you're acting like a horny teenage boy._

Lucas sighed but retrieved the phone from his pocket and moved to the kitchenette, prepared to curse out whoever was interrupting his night. Staring at the number displayed on the screen, Luke tried hard to think of who it would be calling so late. He didn't have many close friends, so he was dumbfounded at the urgency of the mystery caller. Luke picked up on the last ring, but it was already too late. He tried to redial the call, but the phone went straight to voice-mail.

_Hey this is 'Nardo, leave me a message._

Rolling his eyes, he shut off the phone and tossed the pestering device on the small table.

"Who was it?" Letty asked as she looked over, locking eyes with the lanky guy. He was far from the type of guys she was usually attracted to, but looking into his eyes … watching them shine each time he smiled, made her feel okay. Like maybe someday, she would actually be able to smile and be free.

"My brother. Tried to call back, he turned his phone off."

The two locked eyes again and Letty didn't hide that fact that she admired his body. For some reason, she felt herself being drawn to him. She stood carrying the bottle and sauntered seductively over to him. Luke stood still, watching the gorgeous Latina stagger over to him. He could tell she was well on her way to drunk and wondered just how long she could keep going. If he was like any other scumbag, such as his brother, he would've jumped on the opportunity to lay the inebriated woman.

Letty stood on wobbly legs but held on to Luke's white v-neck to keep her balance.

"You all right there, Tipsy?" Luke asked as he put an arm around her waist to help support her. He gave her a smile that nearly melted her panties right off.

Before he knew it, Letty attached herself to him, stretching on her tiptoes to crush his lips with hers. He stumbled from the impact, but quickly recovered, reciprocating the kiss with just as much lust. He could taste the liquor on her tongue, but her soft lips were a sweet distraction.

"Wait," he stopped, forcing himself to pull his lips away, "We can't do this."

Letty pouted as he put a few inches in between them, "Why the hell not?"

"Because...you're wasted."

She pushed the bottle into his chest.

"Then it's your turn," Letty challenged, tugging up the hem of his shirt to see his tattoo, loving the way his jeans hung loosely on his hips. She would have to remember to ask what it meant.

Without breaking eye contact, Luke tossed the bottle back, easily chugging the harsh liquor as if it were water. After a few seconds and a few recovery coughs, Luke smiled a goofy grin at her.

"How the hell did you do that?" Letty was amazed and looked at him like he had grown a second head.

"A lot of drinking with Leon when I was a teen," he laughed and took another swig. He didn't notice the sudden look of confusion on Letty's face.

She was sure she was wasted now. She used to be able to drink anyone under the table, but now she could barely handle a few shots without hearing things.

"Wait, what?" she asked, clutching her throbbing head. The floor felt unsteady under her feet.

"You alright, Letty? You look pale," Luke was at her side in an instant. Letty didn't look too well as she leaned against a nearby wall. Luke wondered maybe if should've slowed her down.

"Yeah. It's just... I swore you said..." Before she could finish her thought, Letty felt the contents of her stomach quickly making its way to her throat. Letty cupped her hand over her mouth as she made a mad dash towards the bathroom.

_Great, Let. Fucking perfect. When you meet a guy who isn't a total douchebag, you puke all over his bathroom._

After spending the next five minutes emptying her stomach and dry heaving, Letty curled her body around the bowl, trying to keep as still as possible, as she knew any sudden movements would end with her hugging the porcelain throne again.

"Well Ms. Letty Saunders," Luke entered the bathroom holding a damp towel. He reached into his bag of toiletry and retrieved a spare toothbrush. He handed them both to her and managed to fit his tall, skinny frame on the floor next to her, careful to avoid the waste. "You are just full of surprises."

She chuckled and wiped her face and hands clean, "You don't know the half of it."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6-Hallucinations**_

"_How's Tokyo man?"_

"Colorful," Dominic said into his pre-pay phone, "These kids are a lot ballsier than we used to be. Drifting in mall parking garages."

"_Oh shit. You're drifting now, huh?"_

"Not particularly, but I'm not opposed to it. I'd just rather not take out a kid drifting my '70 in a tiny ass garage. They are driving those Matchbox cars doing that shit."

Dominic stood on the roof of the DK, or Drift King's, garage, peering down at the jam-packed party that was taking place below. He had to admit, these kids knew how to throw a party; there was enough booze and women to go around for ages. He couldn't help thinking how the boys would love it here in Tokyo. He could see Jesse, Vince, and Leon now, drooling over every skirt that passed by.

"How's Mia and my niece?" Dom changed the subject; he didn't like thinking of his deceased comrades.

"_Both spoiled as ever. Brooklyn is looking more like Mia every day. They miss Uncle Dommie."_

Dom smiled at the memory of his one-and-a-half year old niece. She was born a healthy baby with stunning blue eyes and those brown Toretto curls. She had Mia's olive skin and Brian's smile. Though she was a Daddy's girl, Brooklyn immediately took to Dom, smiling and gurgling whenever she was in his arms.

She was the reason he didn't completely shut down after leaving Rio.

Brooklyn Leticia O'Connor.

Dom's heart and soul. He was torn when Mia revealed that she had named her after their old friend … Dom's old love. He was happy to still have that small piece of her, but the thought of having to hear her name again pained him. But the day he held the small creature in his big paws, the first time she smiled her toothless grin at him, he swore to Letty that he wouldn't abandon her... he would never let her pay for his mistakes.

"I know, Brian. I'll be by to visit soon. Elena wants to see Brooklyn."

"_How are things going in that department?"_

"God, you're sounding like Mia. You two play dress up together too?" Dom could hear Brian's laughter on the other end.

"_No, but when I catch the ass-end of a phone conversation between her and Elena, I think I'm allowed an explanation."_

Dom sighed, running his hands over his smooth head, "I don't know, honestly. We're just going with the flow. I don't know how it's going."

It was the truth; he had no clue how to explain the situation between himself and the Brazilian woman. After the heist in Rio, she traveled with Dom to Goa, India, to await the arrival of his niece, Brooklyn. The two had some unspoken agreement about their relationship: she didn't ask about Dom's private business or his past troubles – she was still a cop after all. They spent time whenever they could, but Dominic was a free spirit. He knew it wasn't long-term. He couldn't see himself tied down with Elena. He couldn't see himself tied down with anyone who wasn't his teenage love, Letty.

_She would laugh in my face if she knew I was dating a cop_, he thought.

"_Dom, it's been almost three years. I know it's hard to let go of... her. She was family to all of us, but you need to move on. It's not fair to Elena to give her only half of you. She loves you, man."_

He knew in his heart that his brother-in-law was right. Elena was a beautiful woman deserving of her man's full attention. She needed Dom the way he needed her; to be his rock, to be his reason for moving on. It wasn't right stringing her along, his father would wring his neck from the Heavens if he could.

"Brian, how do I explain to her that I can't love her because I'm not over my dead ex? You know how crazy that sounds?"

"_Don't you think she feels the same way? Did you forget she's a widow, also? You two refuse to make the commitment because of your old loves, but at least she's making an effort. Work that shit out, bro."_

"Buster, did you call to lecture me about my love life? Cause really, I'd rather Mia call me for that."

"_Hey man, I'm just trying to help. But it's my turn to cook so I better go capture tonight's meal. Take care._"

"Don't give them food poisoning please. Your cooking is just as bad as your drivin'. Give Brookie a kiss for me."

"There you are man," Dom quickly disconnected to line and turned to the Southern voice behind him. "Everyone is looking for you. You should be down there, mingling with your guests," a tall boy with dark hair and blue eyes approached him.

"You're the DK, Sean, not me. They are _your_ guests," said Dominic as he made his way back down the stairs with the young man known as Sean behind him.

"So what? I'm only DK because you let me win that race," Dom paused to turn back to him, sensing some lingering anger in his tone.

"Why can't a guy just take a win for a win? You're as bad as Brian," Dom muttered as he reached the ground floor and the females flocked to him. Just like an entertainer, he put on a smile and greeted his fans, trying to politely turn down their advances.

"I want a rematch, Dominic," Sean said over the music, his eyes determined.

"Whoa. What did I just walk into?" a short, black boy with a blue sweat-suit and two half-naked women hanging off his arm said, standing between Dom and Sean.

"Your boy ain't thinking tonight. He's still bitching about a race he already won months ago," Dom said, his attention focused on a cute American girl staring from across the garage. She was a brunette with a flirty smile that he couldn't pass up.

"It isn't the same when you let me win, Toretto!" Sean's voice was louder now... he wasn't backing down.

Dom looked at him with an arched brow that told the youngster to watch his tone. "Drop it, Kid. Han left you a nice garage and some good drifting skills, but he didn't tell you he learned from me, huh?"

"Hey any time, any place, buddy," Sean stepped forward but Twinkie pushed him back, deciding now was the perfect time to interrupt. He didn't know Dom that well, but by the size of just his biceps, he knew Dom wasn't just some punk - this guy meant business. He would crush Sean for his big mouth if he didn't shut it.

"Listen, grab a lady … or dude, whichever you prefer, and enjoy yourself, Kid," Dom said, putting an encouraging arm around Sean's neck.

Dom had been here in Tokyo, hanging around Sean and his friends for almost six months now and he had become their fearless leader, even if he really didn't want to be. He came to pay his respects to his dear friend, Han, who was killed just before Dom showed up. He was saddened by his friend's passing, but he was sadly getting used to it. Han death's made him the fourth from Dom's crew to die because of the lifestyle, including Jesse, Vince, and his Letty. He hoped it was a pattern that was coming to an end.

"He never knows how to unwind. Ever since Neela left three months ago, he just keeps his nose buried in an engine," Reiko, a petite Japanese girl who worked at the garage, piped in.

Dom noticed the quick flash of hurt on Sean's face at the mention of Sean's ex, Neela. He wasn't sure why the two split up, but he did notice the change in Sean's behavior when the Australian girl moved to the States to attend college. Sean was doing the same thing Dom did when he learned of Letty's passing - focusing on work to ignore the loneliness at home. He forced himself to dive deeper in his work, hoping it would distract him from the everlasting pain of longing for someone who would never come back.

Dom knew _exactly_ what Sean was feeling – remorse, regret, defeat.

Dominic tossed a friendly arm over Sean's shoulder, giving it a supportive squeeze. "I've been there, believe it or not. I'm there right now, to be honest. Best way to get over a girl..."

"...Is to get underneath another," Twinkie said as his eyes followed a thick-reared woman across the room, already forgetting about the two women he came over with, "Excuse me fellas."

Dom shook his head at the young boy's antics. Sean's small posses, made up of him, Twinkie, Reiko, and Earl, had somehow wormed their way right into Dom's life and he sometimes found himself offering racing advice and upgrade tips for their cars. Dominic even caught himself scolding the 19 year-old Twinkie for his sometimes thoughtless and dangerous business ventures that ended with either Dom or Sean getting him out of trouble.

_Hmph. Must've been what Dad felt like._

"What do you say, Dom? Rematch or what?" Earl asked, missing the fact that Dom was no longer interested in their conversation, but the pretty brunette across the crowded room that kept sending him flirty looks.

"Yeah," he patted both men on the back and grabbed two drinks from his private cooler that housed the only Coronas in the party. "We'll talk about this later, boys. I'm gonna go…mingle."

After forty-five minutes of talking the girl up, Dom and Allyson were quickly making their way to Dom's tiny box loft in the garage. He despised the small space, but it was easier than driving back to his place. Once they had privacy, the girl jumped on him, scratching and clawing at his clothes like a lion, ripping the buttons off his white shirt in the process. Dom growled low in his throat at her wild behavior, his arousal a little more than evident. Dom pulled her closer on his lap, burying his face in her breasts. He could taste the strawberry on her skin, but the scent of coconut attacked his nostrils feverishly.

Dominic looked up, surprised to see Letty's brown seductive eyes staring down at him. She smiled that devilish smile he loved, rubbing her hands down the back of his head. She looked so beautiful with her hair curly; he always loved pulling on one of her ringlets and watching it spring back. Staring into her eyes, he felt so vulnerable…so bare. Like she could see straight to his soul.

_She always could._

Letty always saw the good in him, even if every other person in the world thought negatively of Dom. She didn't care what anyone thought of him, because _she_ knew he was a kind, sensitive man. Letty gave him the benefit of a doubt for over a decade, something he knew no one would ever do again.

Looking up once again, he locked eyes with the feisty Latina. Her brown pools always told a story her mouth never could. Dom could always sense what she was feeling, what she was thinking just by looking into her eyes … this time was no different. He knew exactly what she wanted to say and he didn't hesitate to return her thoughts.

"I love you, Letty," his voice was muffled as he buried his face again in her chest.

He didn't remember Letty's breasts being so big, though.

"Allyson," a woman's high-pitched voice said and it immediately alerted Dom.

That wasn't Letty's voice.

Dom's heart pounded as he looked up again, only this time it was the pretty brunette again, glancing down at him with confused blue eyes. She was gorgeous, he couldn't deny, but she was no Letty. She didn't have Letty's spunk … or her loud, obnoxious laugh that Dom loved hearing every day … not even the small scar on her right shoulder that Letty got after a nasty bike crash when she was thirteen.

Suddenly not in the mood, Dom pushed her off his lap, a little rougher than intended and quickly fastened his pants back.

"What's wrong, baby?" she leaned up on her knees and pouted, hoping to talk him back into the bed.

"I can't do this. Put your clothes on," he flopped down on the bed, covering his face with his hands.

"Whoever Letty is, she doesn't have to know about this. Come on, Papa," Dom's ears started ringing - Letty was the only person to call him _Papa._ It was such a simple word, but it made his heart flutter every time it came from her mouth.

Allyson crawled behind Dom and began massaging his shoulders, hoping to relax whatever spooked the good-looking man. He flinched, in return, at her touch and shrugged away from her.

"She already does," he replied over his shoulder.

Dom stood and crawled out of the small room, returning to the pulsating party in the garage.

"You don't look too happy. That girl was hot, what's wrong?" Sean asked when Dom approached his car.

"Like I said, I've been there. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Dominic left the party and headed for his empty loft. He wondered silently if he had finally cracked; he could feel Letty, smell the coconut lotion she wore every day. He saw the love in her eyes, so vividly. It was almost if she was still there, using some sick joke to torture him for everything he had put her through.

Maybe he deserved it. Maybe he deserved the night terrors that kept him from getting a good night's sleep, or the devastating daydreams of her death, or the goosebumps that covered his arms when he heard her name. The last day he saw her face, the last night of passion between them in the Dominican Republic, all of it haunted Dom every day since.

As his Challenger ate up the road, his car doing well over 120, Dom remembered why he liked Tokyo. He could go as fast as he wanted on the nearly empty streets without a care about police. If they couldn't catch his speed, they didn't even bother trying; they would only watch the black blur fly down the road in frustration. The stomach-knotting, gut-wrenching speed seemed to help clear the fog of his deceased girlfriend from his mind, even if it was just for a few minutes. Dom cherished those moments where she didn't cross his mind; it spared time for other menial tasks, like tuning up his car or working with Han's crew.

The speed and blur of the colorful Tokyo streets helped calm Dom's racing heart. He was happy when his home came in sight. Pulling into the driveway, Dom killed the engine but didn't exit the vehicle. Instead, he pulled his cell from his pocket and dialed the long-distance number.

"_Hey you. Wasn't expecting a call from you."_

"I know. I just got out of the garage. Think you can fly out?"

"_I'll book a flight now. Everything all right?" __**Hell no.**_

Dom loved that about Elena; she was willing to drop everything to be by his side. She cherished his company and he neglected her. Brian's nagging voice plagued Dom's mind again.

_**She loves you. It's not fair to her.**_

"Everything's fine, babe. I just miss my woman."

There was silence on the other end.

"_I think that's the first time you've referred to me as yours."_

"Well I've had my head so far up my ass that I couldn't see what was in front of me. Fly out please."

"_I'll book a flight tonight. I should be there sometime in the afternoon."_

They said their goodbyes and Dom pocketed the phone. He pressed the button to raise the garage, watching the room reveal the last thing tying him to his old lover – her '97 Nissan 240SX. Dom cashed in on a favor to an old friend in L.A and begged him to ship it overseas. He spent the majority of his time stripping the car down to a bare canvas, and seven long months and a good chunk of his new fortune to rebuild the beauty back to new. It wasn't the same, though, as the first time he and Letty built the car from the ground up.

He smiled at the memory of a 14 year-old Letty grinning like a Cheshire cat when she saw the hunk of metal frame in the Toretto's garage on her birthday. He had never seen her happier.

"_Never seen someone so happ__y for a piece of shit car," _he remembered teasing her.

"_But it's MY piece of shit car."_

Now, the Nissan was as good as new, just sitting in a Tokyo garage without a crazy spitfire behind the wheel. Dom had no clue what to do with it now that it was up and running like new –he hadn't made it that far yet in his thought process. He just knew the project would allow him to keep a piece of her a little while longer while he went through the grieving process.

Staring ahead, Dom watched Letty appear again, this time leaning against the front of the Nissan with her arms crossed, that same Cheshire cat grin on her face. Wearing a filthy wife beater and oil-stained jeans, she looked at him with love-filled eyes and it pained him to break the eye contact. As beautiful as she looked, Dom knew it was time to finally let go of her.

Hesitantly, Dom again pressed the button, lowering the door on the car and the love of his life for the last time.

"_Don't go Papa_," her angelic voice said as a cool breeze flowed through the Challenger window.

"I have to. I'll never forget mi amor," he replied as the door slammed shut.


	7. Chapter 7

_**I haven't been getting many reviews lately; I'm just hoping you guys are still reading. Please leave a review so I know how you guys are liking everything.**_

_**Chapter 7-Family Business**_

"Are you stupid? Put your goggles on before you lose your eyes," Alvaro griped at one of his plant workers as he passed by to observe their work progression. "You're useless to me blind."

The worker's face went pale – he knew what the boss meant. Everyone was expendable; if you were unable to work, you were quickly replaced by another lower-class citizen looking to feed his hungry family. Because of the dangerous and illegal activity of making large amounts of meth, getting fired was the least of their worries; they were more afraid of where they would end up afterwards.

"Boss, you have a visitor in your office," Dragov said as he approached his leader on the ground floor. Alvaro nodded and followed his henchman to his upper-level office space that overlooked the entire shop.

Upon opening the door, an older, white-haired gentleman stood with his back to the door, admiring the fine art lining the walls. The man turned with the help of his cane, his blue eyes dull and focused on Alvaro.

"Well, you've certainly screwed up this time, Alvaro."

"What the hell are you doing here? This business is mine and it's running just fine," Alvaro got nose to nose with his visitor.

"Calm down, kid. You're not too old to be put over my knee you know," the elderly man took a seat across from Alvaro's giant desk and pointed to the boss's chair, waiting for him to be seated.

"What are you doing here, grandfather?" Alvaro knew if his grandfather – Arnie Koenig, the man who aided in the spread of methamphetamine across Germany, Norway, and Sweden – showed up at one of his meth factories, that he was here strictly on business.

"Well when a longtime family associate says he didn't receive his shipment this month and that you've been dodging him for a weeks, it doesn't look good for business. Can you explain this?"

Arnie Koenig was a tough, feared gangster who had been in the drug-trade business for over three decades and was showing no signs of slowing down. Although Alvaro was the boss, his grandfather was the king and anything he said was rule, no exceptions. He made sure to keep a close eye on the family business - that included cleaning up any of the messes his successor created.

"Minor setback with the car," was all Alvaro replied with.

"Where is the car, Alvie?" his thick German accent was stern as he glared at his grandson with angry eyes.

Alvaro quickly retrieved a platinum tray loaded with a white powdery substance, hoping to take the edge off the hostility building inside of him. He couldn't lose his temper with his grandfather –doing so would prove him either stupid or suicidal. He prepped himself for a line, readying himself for the intense rush.

"WHERE IS THE CAR, ALVIE?!" He repeated, this time loud enough to shake the walls.

Alvaro glanced up from his entertainment with fear in his eyes. If it was one man he feared in this world, it was Arnold Koenig. Alvaro placed a manila folder in front of Arnie, pointing to the picture stapled to the front.

"This is Leonardo Hernandez. He's some two-bit hustler mechanic from L.A. First son of the late Leonardo Hernandez, some cigar guy. After a mix-up, he has somehow come in possession of the car."

"And who's fault was that? That car is of substantial value!" Arnie snapped.

Alvaro's eyes traveled to his second in command but he didn't speak. When Arnie pulled his snub-nose .38 from his blazer and pointed it at Alvaro's head, he knew his grandfather wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.

Anything to protect the business.

"Him," Alvaro pointed to Dragov with shaky hands.

Within the blink of an eye, Arnold put a bullet in Dragov's head, his heavy body hitting the floor with a loud thud.

"Now that that is settled," Arnie continued, putting his gun away. "Where is this Hernandez fella?"

Alvaro's shocked eyes didn't leave his dead comrade, watching the blood pool around his body and stain the hardwood floor. Dragov had been a good right-hand for over a decade and Alvaro knew he would have to grieve some other time; his grandfather wasn't the most sympathetic man in the world.

"I paid him a visit yesterday in Colombia. He runs with some pathetic group, some small-time coke pushers. A few little birdies informed me that he just picked up a few bad habits and I guarantee he's gonna slip up and lead up to the car."

"Whatever leverage you have on this asshole, I want you to use it! Show this little fucker that we aren't kidding around. I want a message sent to Hernandez!" Arnie continued looking through Leon's file for anything that said his grandson was doing his homework. He came across the same photos that were presented to Leon, smiling for the first time.

"Who's the girl?"

"That's Leticia Ortiz. Well, Leticia Saunders as she goes by now. Infamous criminal hijacker, both associates of the Dominic Toretto, one of the U.S.'s most wanted hijackers. We were looking for his brother and by some grace of God, they were together."

A wide grin spread across the elder Koenig's face.

"A hijacker huh? She might prove useful. Bring her and the kid in. And someone clean this shitbag up," he snarled at the body on the floor, the smell of the deceased body attacking the air.

* * *

Leon tossed and turned on the uncomfortable leather couch, trying to find a position that would serve useful in helping him sleep a little longer but it was no use. He wasn't use to the itchy material, but it wasn't his furniture either. He was currently sleeping over at the Team's base because he knew it wouldn't be safe to go back to his loft. No doubt Alvaro had his men staked out at his condo and he wasn't risking another chance encounter with Dragov. He was still painfully sore from their meeting the day before.

With a huff of frustration, Leon tossed the blanket from his body and swung his legs over the sofa, stretching out the kinks in his neck and back. He groaned at the time the clock read … _7:02 AM_. His body was now forced to wake, even after only a few hours of forced rest. As soon as his brain functions started up, his mind began to stress the terrible situation he was in.

What if Letty and Luke were already dead? What if Letty's kid was killed because of him? He couldn't stop these thoughts from harassing his mind.

"You're up early," Red's voice called from the staircase. Her bright hair was in a messy bun and Leon tried hard not to stare at the silky pajama shorts that were hugging her ass as she passed him on her way to the kitchen. It annoyed him how good she looked, even this early. She made it clear that none of the guys had a chance with her and that she was strictly into women. Leon had tried hard to seduce her, hoping to convince her that he could he change her view on the male race, but she objected his advances every time.

That didn't stop Leon from staring though.

"Yeah, these couches are shit," he replied as he followed her into the kitchen, accepting the steaming mug of coffee she offered. They both flopped down at the dinner table, basking in the silence of the early morning.

"You look like shit, Leo. You gotta stop blaming yourself for following the code. We watched you win that car, fair-and-square. You had a right to get your car back. It's just your shitty luck that it belonged to grandson of one of the biggest mobsters in Europe," Red's words weren't very comforting. "Don't worry about James and the guys. They'll come around. James is just mad he didn't get to follow your every move along the way. I swear, you two are totally gay for each other," she joked, knowing she'd get a reaction out of the zombie formally known as Leon.

"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" he scoffed, giving her a warning look. Leon was very comfortable in his manhood, but he loved ladies too much to ever be considered _curious._

She shrugged, "Maybe so."

Another silence fell upon them, which only turned into Leon's brain being ravaged by thoughts of his young brother and friend. They had no clue what kind of danger they were in, not with Alvaro Koenig knowing their every move. He needed to get a hold of Luke and warn them of the impending danger, but that wasn't enough. Leon was going to have to come up with 500 thousand dollars in order to get this maniac off his back. Easier said than done.

"What the hell do I do, Red?" I dunno how to get out of this," Leon broke down, releasing his frustration on the solid wooden table.

"Hey," she rubbed her hand down his back in an effort to comfort her troubled friend. Leon flinched at the contact – Red wasn't the gentle type. She was hardly sympathetic and Leon wondered if her coffee had been tainted. "Things will be all right, Leon. We just have to think of a plan."

"Why are you so willing to help? Last I heard, you pretty much hated me," he reminded her of their track record. They weren't the closest of friends, but worked well as racing mates.

"I don't hate anyone. That takes too much energy," she smiled, "You and the guys annoy me, but I don't hate you. Everyone fucks up sometimes, but I consider you guys family. We've been at this for over two years now. Looking out for each other. And if you say you wanna save some hot chick, then I'm most definitely in."

Red's vibrant, tired smile made Leon's panic subside, at least a little. It was a rarity that the icy woman was compassionate, but maybe she wasn't as bad as she let on. After showing up for a blown gasket on her red '69 Ford Talladega and leaving with a job and spot on their team, she continued to prove to Leon why she was vital to their group – she was street wise, book smart, and could hold her own against anyone.

He decided to test her brain once again.

"Just how do you expect us to make 500 thousand dollars in one month?"

"Simple," she swiped his mug, refilling both mugs of the morning refresher. "Do what we do best: race our asses off. We just need more bodies."

He only wished that he had the members of Team Toretto to lend a hand on this one. They were his only hope. "I have some old friends I can try to call up."

"What? You know more people who don't mind a little illegal fun?"

"A few, but I know one in particular who owes me a favor and I might have to cash in."

"Great," she rolled her eyes, "Another one of your bonehead friends, yippy. And just who is your heroine?"

Leon looked up with confident eyes, as if his childhood superhero was mentioned, "Toretto. His name's Dominic Toretto."

Red froze at Leon's words, dropping her empty mug on the table, causing it to shatter in shards all over the surface, the brown fluids soaking the table completely.

"Shit woman," Leon exclaimed, grabbing a towel to clean up the mess. "Losing your marbles there?"

"Erm," Leon's words didn't register, only the name he spoke merely seconds ago. It was one she hadn't heard in a lot time, but one she'd never forget. "Get some rest and we'll catch up in a couple hours."

"You alright, chica? You seem spooked," Leon asked, instantly going to her side. She held on to the kitchen door for support, but waived Leon away.

"Fine. Try getting in touch with your brother. We'll start fresh around noon. Later," Red hurriedly exited the kitchen before Leon had a chance to question her about her strange behavior.

"Weird ass girl," he mumbled as he made his way back to the hellish couch, determined to get a few more hours of rest.

He fluffed his pillows and decided to try Luke's number one last time.

"You're getting an ass-kicking for sure, Luke," Leon muttered in frustration. Just as he was about to hang up, he heard a groggy voice answer.

"Luke's phone," the raspy voice said. Leon knew it wasn't his brother, but couldn't help but think of it as familiar. "Yo? Who is this?"

Leon couldn't keep the grin off his face, even with tears quickly blurring his vision.

"Well, if it isn't Miss Latina Bad-Ass. You sure are good at playing dead."


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8-Devilish Angel**_

Letty woke the next morning with the hangover from hell. Without opening her eyes, she managed to feel for her watch on the small table next to the bed and dared to look at the time. _7:54 AM. _Groaning, she slammed her body back against the mattress. When a large hand came to rest on her bare hip, her eyes immediately snapped open, turning to the sleeping body next to her. She hadn't been in the same bed with a man in two years and it scared the shit out of her. She always imagined herself freaking out, losing her sanity if she allowed another man to make his way to her bed, especially if he wasn't Dom.

But she didn't feel so bad now. The man she was with had been good to her so far, even if she had no clue how it would end.

Letty studied Luke's face while he slept, marveling at his perfect bone structure. His brown hair was disheveled, some longer pieces sticking to his face. His lips were parted slightly, and Letty fought hard against the urge to kiss him. She admired his long, dark eyelashes and thought about the hazel eyes behind those lids ... they were beautiful. They didn't judge or question her… in fact the exact opposite, she thought. Those hazel eyes accepted her, flaws and all – the only thing she wanted all along.

While staring at him, she tried hard to remember the events of last night, but it was no use. That's when Letty finally realized that she wasn't in her room, but in Luke's. This made her nervous when she realized Julian wasn't anywhere to be found. She was quickly out of bed and searching the small room top to bottom for her little boy.

Luke's eyes fluttered open when he felt a light tapping on her arm. He smiled brightly when Letty's face was the first thing he saw. _I could get use to this_, Luke thought.

"Where is my son?" was the only thing she said, her eyebrows crinkled together with worry. She didn't question as to why she was in Luke's shirt or why his collarbone was covered in bites in bruises; Letty only wondered about her child.

"Small bedroom in the back," she didn't wait for any instructions as she stormed through the back of the room, finding an additional bedroom that Letty hadn't been aware of. Pushing open the door, she breathed a deep sigh of relief to see her little man sound asleep in the twin bed.

The pounding headache she tried to ignore finally caught up to her and she decided to leave him sleeping until she was able to subside her pain. Walking back to the living area, she smiled as Luke stood in the kitchenette in only boxers, his hair pointing in different directions. As he turned to offer her a Tylenol and some water, she made out the passion marks and bruises on his chest, which finally made her look down at her own attire – one of his gray t-shirts and black silk boxers with red hearts covering them.

"Do I wanna know why I'm in your clothes and why there are hickies on your chest?" she asked, happily taking the painkiller. She hoped it would kick in soon.

"Well you undressed yourself, but I figured you'd murder me in my sleep if you woke up naked," he smiled at her.

"And the bite marks?"

"You were _really_ drunk," he laughed and walked away, not really giving her an explanation.

"And? Then what?" she followed him.

"You pinned me down and practically ripped my clothes off of me," she buried her face in her arms, embarrassed by his words. "Thankfully I was able to calm you down before I let my _other_ head take control."

Letty exhaled happily, thankful that he hadn't taken advantage of her. Back home, the racers jumped on any girl that looked slightly buzzed. Letty was thankful Luke wasn't one of those guys. It seemed as if the more time she spent with this new guy, the more incredible he turned out to be. Although she wasn't sure what to make of their connection yet, she knew that some part of her really did like Luke.

_Ring! Ring! Ring!_

"Ugh, that damn phone!" Letty's brain rattled against her skull as Luke's phone started up again.

"Letty, get that will you?" he asked from the bathroom.

Letty stormed into the kitchenette, where the mobile device vibrated and beeped loudly on the table. She didn't hesitate to answer the phone, ready to unleash her morning wrath on whoever was calling.

"Luke's phone," she said, but there wasn't a reply. She was annoyed instantly.

_The damn phone rings constantly, and when I finally answer, they have nothing to say?!_

"Yo! Who is this?"

"_Well if it isn't Miss Latina Bad-Ass. You sure are good at playing dead."_

The voice made her skin crawl and the hair on her neck stand on end. Letty would never forget the raspy twang of that voice. How in the hell did he find her?

Luke peeked around the corner, noticing how all of the tan color had drained from her face. She looked sick to her stomach as she stood with the phone to her ear, mouth agape, but nothing coming from it.

"_Cat finally got your tongue, Princess?"_

"Le-Leon?" was all Letty could muster out before reality knocked the wind out of her. She dropped down in a chair, which helped the room stop spinning momentarily. "Is it really you?"

"_I should be asking you the same thing, baby girl. Everyone thinks you're dead."_

His words weren't registering; she was still reeling from the shock that it was Leon's voice on the other end of the phone. She never anticipated it being him, blowing Luke's phone up for hours. She hadn't heard from Leon since he left the Dominican Republic before the tanker heists. He left in a pissed off rage, angry that Dom had concocted yet another plan that could bring them all down again. Letty tried hard to get through to Leon, begging him not to abandon the only family he had left, but it didn't work.

The realization finally dawned on her as she looked over at the same photo from last night … the boy with the beautiful emerald eyes…

"How do you know Luke? And where are you?" she had a million questions for her old friend.

"_Where do you think he gets his good looks from? He's my baby brother."_

Leon spoke the exact words she was afraid of hearing_… He's my baby brother._

Before she could further question him, Luke swiped the phone quickly, putting it to his ear to continue the conversation. Meanwhile, Letty knew she had to get out. She had to put as much distance between herself and Luke while she still could. How could he not tell her that Leon was the infamous brother that she heard so much about? Maybe he already had, and her secret was out to the world. If Leon knew she was alive, who else did?

She couldn't stick around to find out.

Letty hastily changed back into her clothes, ignoring the lingering smell of liquor on her tank top. She would need a shower soon. She raced to the back room and gathered Julian, careful not to wake him up. It'd be harder to leave with him screaming at the top of his lungs for Luke. Letty carried her boy as she stormed past Luke and to the front door, catching his end of the conversation.

"…She seems pretty freaked out. How the hell do you expect me to stop her, Leon?"

Letty didn't stop as she flung open his door, quickly making her way to her room next door. She nudged the door open with her boot and placed Julian gently on the bed, hoping to pack as quickly as possible without him getting involved. Letty gathered everything she could, stuffing it in large duffel bags.

Luke stormed in her room, not saying a word but snatching up her bags and running back out of the building. A few moments later, he returned for her other bags.

"What are you doing Luke?!" she finally snapped, halting Luke at the door. He finally looked up at her, fear and pity in his eyes.

"We have to leave. Now. I'll explain everything on the way," he tried to rush out of the room again, but she latched on to his elbow.

"What the hell is going on? What did Leon say?" he wanted to ignore her and continued packing, but body language said that she wouldn't go anywhere with him unless her filled her in.

"Leon's in trouble and somehow that trouble has caught up to us. Look out the window," he motioned from the doorway. Letty slowly moved to the window, opening the blind wide enough to scope out the parking lot without being noticed. "Black Cadillac. Couple dudes got out, black suits. They are looking for us. And guess what Letty? Those shiny things sticking out of their waistbands aren't toys."

Letty watched the Cadillac, unable to see the driver because of the distance. She looked over to the main office, where she could clearly see two men talking with the desk clerk. Her instincts kicked in and her mind went on overload. Who was here for her? Braga? Surely he wasn't still chasing after her two years, right?

She needed to get out now.

"Don't make it obvious, but hurry and finish loading the car. And after we get out of here, you tell me everything. Got it?" her voice said that the stipulation was non-negotiable.

"Yeah, but the same goes with you," By the way he spoke, she had a feeling he knew more than he let on. "Everything, Ortiz."

When he mentioned her real surname, she knew the jig was up. She nodded nervously and finished packing her things. She reached under the mattress, cautiously pulling out her .45 USP Glock from under the bed. Letty picked the weapon up after escaping Mexico, and though she never had to use it, she wasn't afraid to protect herself or her child if she had to.

Letty tucked her gun away and picked up Julian, who chose now as a good time to stir awake.

"Where we going, Mama?" he whispered sleepily to her.

"Just gonna take a little drive, baby. Try to get back to sleep," she cooed, clutching him to her body. Letty breathed in his baby scent, easing her queasy stomach. She hated that her past was catching up to her, and Julian was caught in the middle.

"Come on, we have to leave," Luke said as he walked in the room, slamming the door behind him. Letty frowned in confusion as he made his way to the back of the room, opening an emergency door in the back.

When she saw the Jetta started and loaded with their things, she looked at him in confusion.

"We can't leave your car. The Jetta isn't ready," he took Julian from her arms, strapping him in his car seat in the back.

"I worked on it after you passed out last night. It worked better than a cold shower," he gave a small smirk and tossed her keys to the car. "We're leaving the Mazda. Leon said they would recognize the car."

"But it's your baby, that you built," Letty couldn't believe he wanted to leave his most prized possession behind. Though she hadn't been behind the wheel of her own car in months, she couldn't imagine leaving her baby behind.

A pang of guilt hit her heart like a ton of bricks. She _did_ leave her baby behind – her Nissan 240SX. The last time she saw it, she was begging Dominic not to go through with the Mother Load, the last and most rewarding truck heist. When she contacted Hector for the car, she was initially looking for her own ride, only to be disappointed when Hector had no whereabouts of her car. As far as he knew, all of the others, besides the Jetta, were confiscated by the FBI.

"It's a material. I can always build a new one. Now please, get in the car," she didn't question him any further as she slipped in the driver's seat, kicking up dirt and dust as she booked it out of the lot.

* * *

Dom paced the foyer of his loft, making sure everything was spotless before his company arrived. He had already prepared a dinner, smothered chicken and brown rice, and now the only thing he was missing was Elena. He insisted on picking her up from the airport, but she declined, promising that she had a ride and would be arriving shortly.

He spent the better half of the day thinking about her, and Brian's advice. Elena did love him, she told him once. It was after a romantic weekend spent in the Bahamas and countless hours of making love, she had spoken those three words and he panicked. When he didn't reciprocate her feelings, she backed off, giving Dom time and space to figure out what he wanted. She never repeated the words again.

After two years of using her as a convenience, Dom was ready to take their relationship to the next level. Mia liked her well enough, and she didn't seem interested in his wealth or criminal status … just_ him_.

But when he thought about being with her, loving her, he felt extreme waves of guilt wash over him. Letty had lost her life, because of Dom, and here he was moving on to some cop. Dom knew, deep down, that he would never get over Letty… that he would never love Elena the way he loved his devilish angel.

He smiled at the thought. The hellion she was on the surface was nothing compared to the angel Dom got to see behind doors - a side of her that only he was privileged to see.

…A side of her that he would never see again.

Dom mentally cursed himself for thinking about her again. If he was going to try this thing with Elena, _all _of him, he would have to give her his full attention. He wasn't sure how he was going to do it, let his yearning for Letty dissipate enough to be a good man for Elena, but he was damn sure going to try.

Dom jumped a bit at the ringing of the doorbell, anxious at the aforementioned woman's arrival. He took short strides to the door, hoping to calm his nerves before he laid eyes on her. Pulling open the door, he was shocked to the see the faces standing behind it - Mia, Brian, Elena, and little Brooklyn.

"Figured you'd drag your feet coming to India, so we came to you," Mia smiled sweetly at her brother, cradling her sleeping daughter in her arms. "Don't stand there catching flies with your mouth, let us in."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Hope you guys are enjoying this! I know where I'm trying to get to, it's just taking some time to get there. I wanna be thorough and write the best possible story I can. I plan on making this a lengthy story. So Read, review, and enjoy!**_

_**Chapter 9-Unexpected Guests**_

Dom was surprised, to say the least, to see his sister and brother-in-law standing at the door, Elena hanging behind closely. When he invited Elena to town, he wasn't expecting her to invite the others to tag along. Dom didn't mind though, he missed Mia and Brooklyn a lot.

"Don't stand there catching flies with your mouth, let us in," Mia said, her arms probably tired from carrying around her daughter. Dom stepped to the side, holding the door open as the three made their way inside.

"I hope you don't mind. I wanted to surprise you. When I told Mia I was coming, Brian thought it'd be great to charter a private plane and tag along. You know, to avoid the law," she joked, giving him a quick peck on the lips.

When she pulled away, he scooped her up in his arms again, pressing his lips against her soft ones. She was taken aback at first, but soon met his kiss with just as much passion, her bags long forgotten on the floor.

"Hey you two," Mia's voice interrupted, "Save that for later. Dom, is that chicken I smell?" Mia was already doing a thousand things: taking the chicken from the oven, filling his fridge with more beers, and setting the table for four.

"She's been non-stop since the flight. Like I said, she missed you," Brian smiled as Dom engulfed him in a hug.

"No jet lag?" Dom questioned, wondering how his sister had acquired the energy of the Energizer Bunny.

"Hardly ever. The woman is a machine," the two shared a laugh and joined their women at the table.

The four devoured the dinner, ever so often chatting about Dom's new friends, Brooklyn, and anything else under the sun. Dom missed this, having his family around the dinner table, laughing and enjoying life without a worry. He was happy that they were financially stable now, which meant no more illegal business and no jail time. Sure, they were still wanted in the U.S…and Brazil… but they now had the means to avoid prison at all costs. He only wished Jesse, Leon, Vince, and Letty were there to enjoy the high life with them.

"Hey, have you guys heard anything about Leon?" Dom asked curiously. "I talked to him right before all the bullshit in Rio, but the guy's been a ghost since."

Brian and Mia shook their heads, neither of them hearing anything from or about Leon in years. Dom took a mental note to look the kid up when he had the opportunity.

"So Dom, did you finish the Nissan?" Mia asked while scooping the last of her rice onto her spoon.

Dom winced at Mia's question, "Yeah, got it done a few weeks ago."

"Well now what? Are you gonna race it?" Mia pushed, oblivious to the torture she was causing her only brother.

"Hell no. I would never race _her _car," he shook his head at the foolish question. Letty didn't let anyone drive her baby, and he doubted she would start now, even from the grave. "I don't know what to do with it."

"Well, I think you should race it. I bet it runs…" Mia tried again but Dom slamming his fist on the table cut off her words.

"I'M NOT RACING THAT DAMN CAR!" Dom yelled and right away he regretted it. A look of pain and awkwardness crossed her face as she casted her gaze down to her empty plate.

"Dominic," Elena's soft voice spoke, shocked at his outburst.

Dom stood from the table with such force his chair lunged several feet away with a loud thud. He made his way out on the patio, the fresh air quickly calming his nerves. He didn't mean to snap at Mia, he never liked taking his anger out on his sister. She was all the biological family he had left. He just wished she stopped about the car.

"Whoa. That was intense."

Dom left his back to the door, not wanting to see the hurt in his sister's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mia. I didn't mean to lose it back there," he apologized. She ignored his words, moving instead to take in his garden, marveling at the beautiful flowers that adorned the deck.

"Pink tulips were Mom's favorite, right?"

"Yeah," Dom moved to stand next to her, "She had an entire garden filled with them."

The siblings stood there for a long while, neither speaking but just staring down at the flowers. Dom looked at Mia, really looked at her and noticed how much she had changed right before his own eyes. Her hair was still long and dark, but he could see a few early graying hairs at the top of her head. She was only a few inches shorter than him, even without her heels on. She had a few extra pounds on her usually-skinny frame after giving birth, but it looked good on her. When she furrowed her brow, Dom could see how deep her 'worry wrinkles' had been and it broke his heart.

Mia wasn't supposed to live this life. She was on the fast track to being a great doctor, completing two semesters at UCLA before getting caught up in his mess. He wished he'd followed his father's orders of keeping Mia out of trouble, keeping her focused on school, and watching after her closely.

Dom couldn't help but feel guilty for his sister's life on the run.

"You ever regret not going back to school?"

Mia shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest, "Sometimes. But I probably wouldn't be happily married and have a blessing such as Brooklyn."

"But you could have so much better, Mi. You left your home and friends. You can never go back to that. Doesn't that mean something?"

"Hm, you got a lot of nerve, Dominic," her sudden attitude caught Dom by surprise.

"Excuse me?"

"You say how I left everything behind, but what about you? That seems to be your specialty, Dominic."

"Watch it Mi."

"No, Dominic. Unlike everyone else, I don't jump when you say so. You left Letty and now you're a miserable old man, just like Dad was," Dom's fist clenched tightly so he shoved them in his pockets. He never laid a hand on Mia, but she was going too far for his liking. "He put on this happy front in front of everyone, but after Mom died, he became a stubborn, miserable old man and that's exactly who you've turned in to."

"But he took care of business and this family. He did what he had to do to make sure we were okay; I was doing the same. I did what I had to do, Mi…"

"Don't give me that bullshit! You did what you_ wanted_ to and Letty, Jesse, and Vince paid the price."

Dom could tell by the tears forming in her eyes that Mia was releasing a ton of bent-up frustration. On the surface, Mia Toretto was kind, caring woman who loved taking care of everyone. But she was still a Toretto and her anger showed that much. It was then that Dom realized that everything the Team had gone through, Mia had too, even if she wasn't fully involved. She grew up with the Team and looked to them as the only family she had left. Losing them devastated her just as much as it did Dom.

"What is this about, Mia?"

"This is about the fact that you string along a great girl because you can't get over what _you_ left behind. You aren't the only one hurting over her, Dom. She was like my sister. My best and sometimes only friend! But she's gone now, and you have to move on, just like I'm trying to."

Mia's words were harsh, but they were truthful.

"What if I can't Mia? I mean, she would still be here if-"

"Enough Dom!" Mia yelled at the top of her lungs, shoving Dom hard in the chest. He stumbled back a few feet in shock, but managed to keep his footing. "She's not here. She will never be here again. Now, other than you, I knew Letty better than anyone. And I know she wouldn't approve of what you're doing … running around with all these skanks … treating everyone you come into contact with like temporary family. Love is not temporary … family is not temporary. Elena is not one of the guys, Dom. She isn't sticking around for shits-and-giggles like the rest of your friends. She's here for a reason. She's stuck her neck out for you. She's family."

Mia's words hit Dominic like a ton of bricks. "So what do I do Mi? What if I mess up again?"

Mia calmed her nerves and took a few deep breaths. Dom was now the one on the verge of tears and it broke Mia's heart. She hated nothing more than to see her strong, confident brother broken down so badly, but blunt conversation was the only way to get through his thick skull. She couldn't resist going to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him close.

"You won't mess up again, D. You have enough money to settle down, to stop running. Settle down, Dominic. You won't ever find another Letty, but you won't find another Elena either. She's willing to go against her badge for you, a wanted criminal. Don't take that for granted, Dom," Mia reached up on her tiptoes and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, leaving him to his own vices as she stepped back inside.

Dom sighed heavily before dragging his feet back into the loft.

* * *

Letty ran her hands through her hair for what seemed like the hundredth time as they drove in silence. She had no clue where they were going, but followed Luke's directions anyway. He hadn't spoken a word fifteen minutes into their journey and it was starting to piss Letty off.

"Listen, I don't know what Leon told you, but you haven't said a word to me since we left. What gives?"

"He didn't say much. Just that you were Letty Ortiz, an old friend who isn't supposed to be alive. What does that mean?"

_Here we go._

"Listen, it's a really long story."

"We have about two days worth of driving ahead of us, so please, enlighten me."

She gritted her teeth in frustration. Who the hell did he think he was, demanding her to do anything?

"How 'bout you tell me where we're going first?"

"Meeting Leon and his team in Costa Rica. Then we're gonna get some rest then fly out to a safe house. We'll get the rest of the details then," he turned to face her fully in his seat. "Now … who the hell are you?"

Letty didn't want to, but she gave him a quick debriefing on her situation. She explained that her ex-boyfriend was infamous Dominic Toretto and because of him she was presumed dead. She could never have a normal life because people were after her, she was wanted in the U.S., and she was raising his child on her own. She didn't trust anyone and she didn't care to make friends because her only concern was keeping Julian safe.

"Wow. So everyone thinks you're dead?" she nodded, "What happens when they find out you're not dead? I mean, your family will be devastated," Luke tried to reason. "And this Toretto… when he finds out he has a son… he's gonna want to see him."

Letty could sense the jealousy in his tone. Her breath hitched at his question, "No one is gonna find out because as soon as this is all over, I'm disappearing again."

"Letty, you can't keep running from your issues. That's not gonna solve anything. You need to find your family."

"I don't have any family other than that little boy. No friends. And as for Dom… he will never meet _my _son. He doesn't deserve him. Or me."

Luke placed his hand over hers on the shifter in an attempt to console the clearly distraught woman.

"Letty that's not fair…"

"Fuck Dominic Toretto!" she snatched her hand from his and slammed it against the steering wheel in anger. After hearing a whimper from Julian, Letty managed to control her breathing and resentment. "He abandoned me when I needed him most. He promised that he'd never leave, and now I have to explain to my child that he doesn't have his father because he's a coward. _That_ isn't fair to him."

Luke decided that a subject change was needed. Looking in the rearview mirror, he noticed the same black car with tinted windows following a few yards behind the Jetta.

"Don't freak, but the black car has been following us."

She peered in her side mirror and groaned in annoyance. She wasn't in the mood for this. Letty suddenly swung the wheel right, pulling off the road. She reached in her waistband and pulled her gun out swiftly.

Without a word, she exited the car and stood in the center of the road waiting for the upcoming sedan.

"What the heck are you doing?!" Luke exclaimed as he watched the mad woman aim her weapon at the car.

As the sedan approached, Letty fired her weapon with the skill of a SWAT team member at the windshield, causing the car to careen to a stop parallel to the road. When the back door flung open, she fired again before the henchman was able to shoot his weapon, dropping the man to the ground. Walking towards the vehicle, she kept her gun trained on the driver as he stumbled out of the car. Letty made sure the passenger was dead before clearing the rest of the car.

"Who the fuck are you?" she growled viciously to the bleeding man leaning against his car. He grasped his hand over his throat, hoping to slow the gushing river of blood flowing from his neck. When he didn't respond, Letty held the gun to his forehead.

"You might as well pull that trigger, _wölfin_. I'll never rat. You're fucking dead, you bitch! You and your precious son," he spat nastily, blood dripping from the corner of his lip.

"As you wish," was all she said before pulling the trigger. Letty rummaged through the car, looking for anything that told her who these men were and why they were following her. After checking the center console and the glove compartment and coming up short, she pulled down the visor, a photograph of her, Luke, and Julian at the diner falling onto the driver seat. It was then that Letty realized the seriousness of the situation at hand. She rummaged through the dead driver's pockets before finding a cell phone that she quickly pocketed and jogged back to the Jetta.

Luke swiftly jumped into the driver's seat and waited for her before punching the gas. "You just killed three men! Are you insane?" Luke was in shock of the woman's brutality and the fact that she didn't seem fazed at all that she had just murdered three men. He wasn't sure if the sick feeling in his stomach was from her actions, or the fact that she had a handgun in the first place.

"That guy called me a bitch in German," she ignored Luke's question as she flipped open the phone. She didn't find anything, initially, upon the inspection of the phone and was starting to lose hope.

"Leon said some mobster has us under surveillance. They are targeting us because Leon owes him some money. How did you know he called you a bitch?"

"Dom's sister Mia took the foreign language back when she was in college. I picked up a little," she continued searching his phone, discovering his recent call log. The last call made to the phone was a little over an hour ago from a name that only read 'Boss'.

Luke rambled about the intensity of the situation until Letty placed a finger over his lips, "Please, Luke. Shut up so I can think."

The car was finally silent and Letty couldn't have been happier. She was still very hung-over and wasn't sure how long she would be able to make it without vomiting all over the blue upholstery. She tried to keep the thought of the lives she had ended merely minutes ago far at bay, but she knew it wouldn't be easy. She had never killed a man before – much less three - and it would no doubt take its toll on her psyche.

She shook her head and cleared her thoughts; Letty would have to grieve over the person she had become later. She had to keep herself together, at least until they met up with Leon.

Letty didn't know why, but something compelled her to redial the 'Boss'. She did so and put it on speakerphone for Luke to listen in.

"Ivan, where have you been?! I told you to call when you got the boy. I need to make the message clear to Leonardo; he will pay for sticking his little coked-out nose in my business."

At hearing the rough German accent break away from the phone, Letty shut the device quickly and dropped the phone to the floor. Her hands shook with so much fear that she had to force herself to sit on them. Letty turned in her seat to stare at the beautiful little boy buckled in the back seat, now happily smashing together two action figures in pure delight. He was so adorably naïve to the danger surrounding him.

"Luke, I can't let anything happen to him. He's all I have," her voice cracked and she felt her throat tightening so much that she forced herself to relax long enough so she could breathe properly. "I never thought I could love someone so much. I can't lose him. I'll die if I lose him Luke," she finally broke down, much to her own trepidation. She was never much of a crier before, but anything that had to do with that little boy always brought on the waterworks.

Luke grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips, doing his best to calm the emotional woman that he had taken so strongly to over the past few weeks. He hadn't seen her so bare, so raw with emotion in his short time of knowing her, but he knew he didn't like to see her hurting.

"You're not going to lose him. I promise you. I won't let anything happen to you or Julian."

He stared into her eyes for so long that she was impressed he didn't wreck.

"Let's start by keeping your eyes on the road then."


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter 10-Risky Business**_

_**San Andres, Colombia**_

"What's up with Red? She's been unusually quiet today," Jerry said as he and Leon loaded up their rides.

"I dunno. She's been acting weird like that all day. I'll try to talk to her," Leon replied, shutting the trunk to his car before walking over to the female loading up her muscle car. He leaned against the driver side while she packed her ride with personal belongings and clothes; there was a good chance they weren't returning back to Colombia.

"Everything good? You're quiet for once."

"Erm … yeah," she shrugged, "I'm fine."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" he pushed the subject, but she gave him a look that told him she wasn't in the mood.

"I'm fine, Leo. Just a little anxious is all. Ready to meet this hot chick already," she smiled with a twinkle in her eye that said she was partially lying, but Leon decided to let it go for now.

"Don't get too excited. Letty is strictly dickly."

"That's what they all say, Pretty Boy," she winked and fired up her ride.

"Alright guys," Leon started but was interrupted by a roar of cars zooming towards the shop. He recognized the first one, a blue Mitsubishi Lancer, as James' car. Two Honda Civics pulled in behind him.

Leon stood with his hands shoved in his pockets, watching as James and the guys approached him.

"Road trip?" James looked at the cars surrounding him.

"Just going to handle some business. You here to bust my balls again?"

"No. But I figured you could use some extra help, so I'm in. We're in."

Leon watched James closely. He had known the dysfunctional young man for a few years, but Leon was already able to read his body language. James never apologized for anything, but the way he stood with his shoulders slouched and his hands nervously picking at his blue Mohawk, Leon could tell he was regretful. The two stood in silence and it was starting to irritate Red.

"Listen, either make out or shake on it and let's get going!" she hollered from her car. Her nerves were shot and the only thing that'd calm her edginess was speed – she needed to get on the road.

James rolled his eyes at the woman but followed her demand, holding his hand out for Leon to shake.

"Before I shake your hand, I need to know you're gonna back me up. I can't have my own teammates turning on me."

A flash of hurt shone through James' icy blue eyes, but he blinked it away quickly.

"I got your back," was his stern reply, keeping eye contact to reiterate his point. Leon believed him; he had no other reason not to, and took James' hand, giving it a strong squeeze.

"We found my brother. He's with Letty in Honduras. We're gonna meet them in Costa Rica then fly out to the safe house. I just want everyone to be together, and then we'll go from there."

"But wait," James stopped Leon in his tracks, "The safe house is in Germany, right? Where Alvaro Koenig lives?"

"Yep. He'll never expect us to be right under his nose. And I can keep a close eye on Koenig while we come up with a plan."

"How do we get in the country undetected? You know his goons will be right there with a fucking firing squad waiting for us."

"That's what the baby brother is for. We're gonna charter a private plane to avoid the airport security, so hopefully we can arrive unannounced. Apparently my dad has some friends in Munich who owe him a couple favors and we're going to cash in."

"Let's go get our brother!" James cheered and jumped through his car window, Dukes-of-Hazard style.

The six-man crew led by Leon began the lengthy journey to Costa Rica, each hoping that what Leon was looking for would already be there waiting for him. Leon was an emotional wreck, which didn't help with his sour mood lately. His nerves were shot from not being able to sleep - a result from the heavy cocaine use. He hoped that a few lines before the trip would help ease away his anxiety, but he was dead wrong. His body was clammy and his hands trembled twice as much as he tightened his grip on the wheel.

That was the worst part of using, for him. The tremors. He hated the way his hands shook rapidly when he tried tying his shoes or changing gears in his Supra, but it was a small price he had to pay for the euphoric rush. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced before and though it was dangerous and highly addictive, so was everything else Leon did. Racing, sleeping with random chasers sometimes several times a week, it was all risky business. He promised himself that as long as his use didn't interfere with business, he would keep it control.

But now, he was losing control of everything in his life and he had no clue how to rebuild. He had a murderous drug lord with an anger problem on his back, his team was falling apart around him, and now he had the complicated task of finding Dominic Toretto. _Hmph, like finding a needle in a fucking haystack,_ he thought. Not only would he have to explain to Dom that he needed his help in delivering Alvaro Koenig 500 thousand dollars, but that if he didn't Koenig would kill his already-presumed-dead girlfriend, who was actually alive and the brother no one knew he had.

"I might as well let Koenig bury me too," Leon said after buzzing Red's two-way. "Dom's gonna kill me when he finds out she's alive and I knew about it."

It took a few seconds, but the two-way screeched, "No he won't. It's not like you hid her. From what you've told me, she hid herself. She didn't want to be found, Leo. That's not your fault."

"Nah, you don't know Dom, Red. This man would _die_ for that woman, and would _kill_ anyone who tried to come in between them. The longer I keep this hidden from him, the worse the beating he's gonna give me," his heart raced at the image of an enraged Dominic coming at him like an angry bull in a China shop. The wreckage that would be caused when Dom found out about Letty didn't even compare.

"As far as I know, this is his entire fault anyway. Had the Neanderthal stayed with her in the first place, we wouldn't be tracking her down now. I'll make sure to give the bald bastard a piece of my mind when I see him."

Letty furrowed his brows in confusion, "How did you know he's bald?"

_Fuck._ She slipped up. "Well he is, isn't he? All men are predictable."

"I guess. I have to buzz Jerry. Maybe he can get us a trace for Dom, or at the least a phone number."

Red sighed heavily when the two-way beeped one last time, indicating that the line was dead. She wanted to smash her own head against the steering wheel because of her flub. She couldn't mess up like that again if she wanted to keep a low profile. She had to focus on her own private task at hand, which was currently to make sure that Leon did not find Dom.

* * *

"Alright, you crazy kids have fun and stay out of trouble," Brian said from the doorway as Dom opened the passenger door for his date, helping the woman into the car before jogging over to his side.

" Don't wait up," he grinned before ducking into the Challenger and firing it up, revving it a few times just to annoy Brian. He still had that bitter taste in his mouth from his first run-in with Dom's newest ride and Dominic loved rubbing it in his face.

"So where are we going?" Elena asked from the passenger seat to her date.

"There's a nice little Thai place at the end of the strip. I figured we could use some private time," he smiled, reaching for her hand and bringing it to his lips, kissing her knuckles softly.

"Sounds great," Elena replied, relaxing into the soft leather seats. She looked over at her man and thought about how good Dom looked in his black tuxedo. "Sorry for springing Mia and Brian on you. Mia begged to tag along when she heard. She thought it would be a great surprise."

"It's okay. I missed them. And you."

Dominic pulled the Challenger into the packed parking lot and killed the engine. He helped his date out of the car while chancing a glance at her assets that looked damn good in her black, floor-length dress. The couple walked hand-in-hand inside the establishment, stopping at the doorway to greet the server.

"Reservations for Barcelona," Dominic gave the name that appeared on his altered passport. He ignored the questioning look from Elena and followed the waiter to their seats.

Dominic was the perfect gentleman, pulling out the chair for his date and waited for her to be seated before pushing it in slightly. He sat down himself before starting them off with a bottle of champagne.

"So Barcelona, huh?" Elena asked with smiling eyes as she sipped her drink.

"Just a precaution," was his short reply. He didn't think Elena would ever use her badge against him or the others, but that didn't take away that she was still a cop. He made the mistake of trusting a cop completely before and he vowed to never do it again.

"Dominic, I don't know your story. I don't know what kind of life you lived before you showed up in Rio, but I do know that you're a good man. I've seen you risk your life and freedom for your family. Why do you choose to live so dangerously?"

Dom was a little taken aback by her question. No one had ever cared to know why he did the things he did; they usually just wanted to punish him for being a lawless thug. No one cared to know why he refused to live by laws.

"Life is dangerous for anyone. I'm just one of the few people who aren't afraid to push the boundaries. I know the consequences of my actions."

"Exactly! So why continue to risk your freedom and life for some – some _idiotic_ thrill that can completely destroy your livelihood? I mean why even risk getting a jaywalking ticket if you're wanted in so many places? The way I see it, you're rich. You don't have to work or _race_ for anything ever again. If you continue to do it, then you deserve whatever punishment it is that heads your way," The snarl on her face made Dom crinkle his nose.

Who the hell did she think she was ... judging him?!

"Excuse me?" his voice raised slightly, startling some of the patrons and receiving a few nasty looks of his own. Thankfully the server with their appetizers had arrived and the smell of his garlic Thai shrimp helped him relax. He thanked the waiter and decided to dig in before speaking. He wasn't sure he wasn't ready to bite her head off yet.

Dom right away thought of the words the judge that sentenced him to 25-to-life spoke – _"One right does not make up for a lifetime worth of wrongs."_

Dom chewed his food slowly as he prepared his words carefully, not wanting to set his date off any further. "I never wanted things to get as tangled up as they have. I just wanted my family to have the better things in life. I watched my father struggle my whole life to take care of his family, even harder when my mom got sick. When he was killed, it was on _my_ shoulders to pick up the pieces. I was 17 years old!" Dom tried to keep his voice from cracking when he spoke, but he didn't have much luck. It always choked him up when he thought about his father.

"Looking back on everything that you've been through, and the carnage that you and your friends left in your trail, was it worth it?"

He thought long about the question. The lost lives of his oldest friends told him no. The heartache of losing Letty told him no. The long nights, driving for days just to shake the police's tail, being away from Mia for months at a time ... none of it was worth it. But he then thought about their big break; the mother-load of payoffs that guaranteed them wealth for a lifetime. It was just the break they needed. Mia would never have to struggle again. Brian could stay out of trouble and look after Mia and Brooklyn without getting caught up with anymore trouble. He could finally stay off the FBI's radar and get his life back on track.

Dom just wished his old crew could reap the benefits as well.

"In a way, yeah. It was worth it," he answered, looking straight into her eyes with conviction.

She only smiled and nodded, dropping the topic when the servers arrived with their entrées. The couple enjoyed the time alone, choosing to take the conversation to a happier direction. They wanted to take advantage of it being just them two without the distractions of Dom's loud brood. He found out a lot about Elena, things he should've already known after two years but he didn't. He was surprised to hear that she had only been with the Rio police force a few months before she was recruited by Luke Hobbs. Dom felt a surge of cockiness go through him when she revealed one of the reasons she was chosen personally by Hobbs.

"He said I was the only one in the force who couldn't be corrupted."

"How ironic," Dom chuckled, finishing off the last of his champagne. Elena excused herself to the ladies' room, leaving Dominic to his own vices. He refilled his glass and sat back comfortably, letting his mind wonder aimlessly.

He didn't like the way Elena talked to him, but she had a point. When Dom started racing, it was initially to provide for his family financially, but he couldn't deny that the rush had made him an addict. And it was the adrenaline that led him to taking on bigger thrills, even more difficult heists that just-so-happen to have equally large paydays. Now, money wasn't an issue, so Dom would have to keep a lower profile and put racing in the past.

Glancing out a nearby window Dom noticed a good-looking woman walking with an identical small child, a boy. He watched her face intently and could've sworn that when he blinked, it was Letty looking right back at him. Those deep exotic eyes that read him like a book. That beautifully-tanned skin that tasted as good as it looked. Her curly hair that no matter how messy it was, she always managed to pull it off.

Dominic felt tightness in his chest when he saw the angel's face. He couldn't help returning the small smile she gave him and felt himself standing from the chair, ready to rescue his lost angel and take her home.

As he went to move for the door, Elena's voice stopped him.

"Where are you going, Dominic?"

He looked between Elena and the window, unsure of which direction to choose. Looking back over his shoulder, his angel's face was gone, and the Japanese mothers' face was now staring strangely at him as she hurried her child away from the window. Dom frowned and sat back down at the table, feeling deflated that he had lost her again.

"Dominic, are you okay? You look like you saw a ghost," Elena looked at Dom with concern as he ran his hands over his head.

"Yeah," he shook his head but wasn't entirely sure. "Just thought I recognized someone."

"Let's say we go back to the house and get reacquainted with each other," the gleam in her eyes told him that was she done talking. He gave a cheeky smile and waved the waiter over for the check. He tossed some bills and a generous tip on the table before nearly dragging Elena out to the car.

Dominic sped through the streets towards his loft, undoubtedly showing off for his date. Elena only rolled her eyes; she had told Dom before that she wasn't impressed by his desires to break every traffic law created. Maybe it was the cop in her.

Dom finally brought the car to a normal speed as he slowed down for a red light. He tried to cast his gaze anywhere but on the three Japanese girls prancing across the road. He recognized them from the rooftop races and some of the after-parties.

"Hi Dom," one of them swooned, waving coyly as she passed by his car. Another one blew him a kiss, completely disregarding his date sitting right next to him.

Dom sighed thankfully when the light changed and he flew away from the light, silently praying that by some strange miracle that Elena hadn't noticed. No such luck.

"What the hell was that?!" Elena's voice hit him like a ton of bricks. He was shocked as he had never heard the polite woman raise her voice before.

"What was what?" he tried to play stupid but she wasn't falling for it.

"Those skanks practically begging you to jump them! Do you know them Dom?!" Dom watched Elena carefully; he had never seen her mood change so drastically and he had no clue what to expect next. She never came across to him as the jealous type.

"I've seen them around before," he trailed off, "Elena, are you okay?"

Dom couldn't have been more thankful to be pulling in his driveway.

"I'm just fine. You just make sure to keep those ogling eyes and wandering hands to yourself. You're mine now," her angry face was replaced with a bright smile instantly. Dom sat staring at her as she exited the car, his mouth left gaping open with confusion.

_What the hell was that?_ He asked himself as he waited for her to enter the house before leaving the car himself.

* * *

_**AN: Quick thing to note – I hate Elena. I didn't like them killing Letty off and I hated when Elena popped up out of nowhere and she was Dom's love interest. It's just unlikely for me. So if any of you share my feelings towards her, be happy to know she'll have a nice ass-kicking coming her way eventually. R&R.**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter 11-Innocence**_

Stepping inside his home, Dominic armed the security system and followed the voices he heard to the living room. Once there, he was surprised to see Brian and his sister still awake, both staring intensely at the laptop screen in front of them.

Dom looked down at his watch, "It's almost midnight. I thought I told you not to wait up."

"Well I was curious about Leon, and Dom… you need to see this," Brian's voice was nervous and by the way Mia bounced her leg frivolously, Dom knew it was serious. He moved quickly over to them, Elena already forgotten as he tended to his brother-in-law. Dom prayed it had nothing to do with the police being after them, but when he saw the screen, he knew it was worse. "It's Leon."

Dom stared at the mugshot of his old friend and realized he was looking at a Colombian police directory. Dom took in the heavy, dark bags under Leon's eyes and the way his cheeks were sunken in. His emerald eyes were glossy, bloodshot, and red-rimmed and he was covered in even more tattoos, including one across his throat that read '_Outlaw'_.

"What does it say?"

"He was arrested for possession of cocaine, fleeing the scene, and resisting arrest about six months ago. He must have a damn good lawyer 'cause all he got was a misdemeanor fine," Brian said, amazed that Leon got a slap on the wrist for such serious charges.

"Dom, he looks so bad," Mia whimpered with a hand over her mouth, her words mimicking his thoughts. "What is Leon doing messing with cocaine? That's serious shit, Dom."

"I know, Mi," he replied, his eyes still fixed on the picture of his friend. Dom felt waves of guilt wash over him. He felt partially responsible for the way Leon was living now. Maybe if he had fought a little harder to keep Leon with the Team, he wouldn't be struggling to keep himself together now and out of trouble.

"We have to find him, Dom. I lost Vince and Letty and Jesse… I can't lose my entire family," Mia cried softly. Brian wrapped his arms around his grieving wife and looked at Dom sadly.

Dom knew he had no choice – he had to find Leon and bring him home. He could even live in Tokyo with Dominic, where Dom could keep a close eye on him.

"I'll start calling around in the morning, see if we can pick up any leads on him. Brian, I'll need you to start calling in some of those favors to your cop buddies, see if anyone has seen him," Brian rolled his eyes at Dom's words, but nodded obediently. "You guys get to bed. I'll see you in the morning," he kissed Mia's forehead and hugged her tightly as she made her way to the spare bedroom.

Brian stopped at the door after watching Elena say goodbye to Mia.

"How'd the date go?" he asked with a smirk.

"Dinner was fine, but I think our little officer has some serious trust issues," Dom tried his best to whisper so Elena wouldn't hear, which was hard with his baritone voice.

"Lucky you," Brian said mockingly. "Night."

Dom sighed deeply before removing his black blazer and tossing it over the recliner. He put on his best brave face and grudgingly made his way to his bedroom.

* * *

"Mama… where's Benny?"

Julian's question broke Letty's heart each time he asked, which made four times now. They were at some small diner on the other side of Honduras and Julian didn't understand why his favorite waitress hadn't come to over to greet him yet.

"Baby, we're taking a little trip okay? Benita doesn't work here," she cooed softly, running her hands over his dark locks. His bottom lip quivered as he stood on the booth chair and looked over the restaurant for himself. Letty shot Luke a menacing look.

"I'm gonna rip Leon a new asshole for this," she hissed. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Been living in Colombia for a few years. He's got a crew and a small garage there."

Letty felt her throat clam up and her eyes sting, but she refused to cry. She was hurt that Leon had seemingly moved on and replaced his family with another team. Out of the boys, she and Leon got on the best, she even considered him as a brother at one point. But when she cried and begged Leon not to leave her in the Dominic Republic, to stick it out with her, he had left her.

_Just like Dom did._

"Fuck Leon," her voice was so low; she hoped that Luke didn't catch it.

"Hey," he quipped, "He might be an asshole, but he's still my brother. He left the Dominican Republic because he didn't want to get into anymore trouble, Letty. He just wanted things to go back to normal."

Letty narrowed her eyes at him, "What do you know about the DR?"

"Leon and I have always been very close. He let me in. He told me that his team – never mentioned any names, might I add – got into some bad shit and everyone had split, one was even killed-"

"Jesse. He was a freakin' genius," she thought proudly of the youngest member of their crew.

"He stayed with me for a while, then he got a call one day and he was gone the next morning. Said the 'Big Dawg', as he called him, wanted him to join everyone in the Dominican Republic, not to work but to be a family again. To patch things up. Next thing I know, he's showing up at my door six months later, said the team leader was up to his old tricks again and he didn't want any part in another one of his friend's death. And if you know Leon, you know he's too much of a pretty boy to settle for prison," Letty couldn't keep away her smile, knowing all too well how into himself Leon was. "You see, Leon never meant to hurt you. He just wanted his family back … without the extra dangers that came with it."

Letty gave only a curt nod; she didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"He misses you, y'know," Luke started again. "He told me, on the phone. He was mess, talking about how he thought you had died. How'd you stay under the radar for so long?"

"That's a story for another day," she said in a tone of finality. She was surprised when Luke reached for her hand over the table, clutching it between his. He fiddled with the silver band that adorned her index finger and looked over her face with sad eyes.

"How are you feeling about the … shootings?"

Letty clammed up at his inquiry. She knew it would come up eventually, she was just hoping she had time to deal with it personally first. "I've never killed anyone in cold blood like that before. Ever. And it's crazy because I didn't think twice about doing it. Does that make me a terrible person?"

"Absolutely not, babe. No one could say they wouldn't have done the same to protect themselves or their child," Luke could see the distress weighing heavily on Letty's conscience as she spoke of the ordeal. It was clear she was still in shock from the killings earlier that day and Luke silently prayed that she would never have to experience that trauma again.

"What's wrong, Mama? Are you sad?" Julian asked while standing on the booth, both of his tiny hands clenching at Letty's cheeks. His face was scrunched into an adorable look of worry and he stared deep into Letty's eyes. It was his special way of getting her to focus entirely on him and it worked every time.

Letty couldn't deny that sweet face anything. Julian was very smart for his age and anytime he spoke with proper English, she couldn't help but sit in a trance and listen to whatever babble he had to talk about.

"No, baby, Mama's okay," she lied, thankful that he was too young to understand that she had. "Just very tired baby."

Luke knew she was telling the truth; she had bags forming under her red-rimmed eyes and she still hadn't regained her usual caramel skin tone. She refused to sleep on the drive, more worried about keeping her eyes out for any other assailants that might've been tailing them. She barely touched the pulled pork sandwich that sat idle on her plate and he would bet every dime he had that she was still nursing a major hangover. He knew after driving for seven consecutive hours that they both needed a couple hours of good rest – neither of them was any good to Julian if they were falling asleep at the wheel.

"Little Man, why don't you finish up your food and we'll find a place to rest for the evening? Maybe we can finally get that Hot Wheels track together and let Mommy sleep?" Luke knew exactly what to say to get the toddler jumping up and down in the booth, a toothy grin on his face. Letty smiled for the first time in hours, just because her son was happy.

She knew Leon finding her wasn't Luke's fault and he didn't deserve the pissy attitude she had given him all day. She practically ignored him the whole drive so far, only speaking to help read the map that was guiding them on the trip.

But watching him now, disguising a spoonful of mashed potatoes as an airplane headed straight for Julian's opened mouth, she was grateful to have a guy like him by her side throughout the ordeal. He was easy to talk to and took good care of Julian, even though he didn't have to.

Letty grinned at how easily distracted Julian was when he rediscovered his favorite toy car on the table – a tiny, red Plymouth Barracuda with black racing stripes down the center. He had been around them his whole life; smashing cars and trucks together in a safe area as Letty worked in any garage that would pay her under the table. She was glad to see he was developing a lust for cars early on. At this rate, she figured, he'd be racing by the time he was sixteen, just like her. A small part of her only wished his father could see just how much Julian was turning into him.

After the toddler gobbled down the rest of his dinner, the three traveled to the nearest hotel to rest for a few hours, which was a palace compared to their last place. Luke paid for and got them checked into a suite equipped with a flat-screen TV, a mini-fridge, two plush sofas, and a large floor-length window that overlooked the city.

"You can take the back room, I'll sleep closer to the door," Luke said as he dropped their bags at the door. Julian immediately ran off to inspect the rest of the suite, while Letty stood at the window, looking out at the bustling nightlife that was Honduras.

Luke strode over to her, standing behind her and taking a peek over her shoulder to check out the view himself.

"It's so beautiful here," her voice was hoarse and shaky as she spoke. Taking in the colorful lights that extended as far as the eye could see and the beautiful ocean that made the perfect backdrop, Luke wholeheartedly agreed. Even with its ruggedness, Honduras was an incredible city to visit and she couldn't deny that she'd miss the laid back atmosphere and generous people.

"How are you holding up?" he asked sincerely, placing his warm hands on her shoulders. Luke could feel her flinch from the contact and rubbed his thumbs in a circular motion that seemed to relax her nerves.

"I'll be better after a hot shower," she finally turned around, running a hand through her messy hair.

Before he could reply, Julian's patter was heard as he trotted back into the living area.

"We play now?" he asked Luke with his best puppy-dog look.

"Yes, you can play now," Letty scooped him up effortlessly, placing a wet kiss on his cheek, "but I don't want you giving me any crap when it's bath time. I know how much boys love to be dirty, but we can't have you running around like a miniature grease monkey."

"I guess that frees up the shower for me," she shrugged and made her way to the bedroom to retrieve fresh undergarments. She swiftly ran to the adjoining bathroom and shut the door, locking it behind her.

Stripping down to her underwear, Letty looked over her body with sadness and disgust. She wasn't the same Letty she used to be. With her skin pale from stress, it was easy to make out the scars that marred her torso and thighs from the crash. She could easily see her ribs poking out and wondered how she had let herself get so bad off. Her cheeks were sunken in and her hair was a greasy, tangled mess.

_Look what you let him to do you, Leticia. You were never supposed to let a man make you feel like you couldn't live without him. I raised you to be a confident, strong woman, but that is not the woman I see today. You may have lost the life you had with Dominic Toretto, but you've gained a second chance to do something right. Always remember mija, __Dum vita est spes est._

_**While there is life, there is hope.**_

Letty could hear her father now, scolding her for going against everything he taught her as a child. She was almost glad he wasn't around to see the torture and agony that his daughter had put herself through over the years, over the one boy he warned her about – Dominic Toretto.

After reprimanding herself a little longer, Letty stepped under the hot stream of water, her muscles flinching from the scorching sensation. Once her body adapted to the heat, Letty curled herself in the corner of the bath and wrapped her arms around her legs, placing her chin on her knees. She finally allowed herself to cry; she cried for her son, who would never have the chance to meet his father, for her brother Leon, who had finally come to her rescue, and for Dom. She then vowed to never let another tear fall from her eyes over her ex-boyfriend again. This wasn't her; she wasn't some sap who sat around wondering why me. If Dominic couldn't ride it out with her when the heat was on, then she surely wasn't about to die for him … again.

Wiping her eyes, Letty stood and scrubbed away the filth from her body. She washed and rinsed her hair then got out, wrapping the large, fluffy hotel-provided towel around her body and snuck into her room to get dressed. Rummaging through her duffle bag, she found a black Metallica shirt that she was sure didn't belong to her and couldn't stop the smile forming on her lips. She remembered finding out that she and Luke shared the same interest in music and realized it must have been his. She put it up to her nose and indulged in the smell of oranges, her senses going wild for his scent. Without another thought, Letty discarded the towel and slipped the tee over her chest, thankful that it was long enough to hide her scars.

Letty finished dressing in over-sized boxers and left her wet hair down to air-dry and made her way out of the room feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. It was almost as if she had washed away all of the negative emotions that plagued her mind, and she somehow felt at peace for the moment. She bounced into the lounge area with a new pep in her step, sitting on the sofa near the boys looking at the track intently.

Luke took in her clothes with a big smile, "Looks good on you."

"Thanks," she tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear shyly.

"Mama, watch!" Julian squealed as he pressed a button that propelled the car forward and around a loop.

"Pretty cool, huh Buddy?" her life seemed to get a little better each time her son smiled. He was so young and innocent with no clue about the cruel people who wanted to harm him in this world, yet he didn't seem to care about anything that didn't include pancakes or Letty and that was fine by her. She only wished he could stay so young and innocent forever.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Chapter 12-Hotel Nightmare**_

"Sir, der Tracker auf der SUV ist, dass es nicht verlegt wurde in über acht Stunden," one of Koenig's techies announced when he entered the private security room. _("Sir, the tracker on the SUV is indicating that it hasn't moved in over eight hours.")_

"Was ist mit dem Handy? Ist es immer noch verfolgen? I haven't heard from Ivan in hours," He stood over the man's shoulder staring at the screen, completely clueless as to what he was looking at. _("What about the cell phone? Is it still tracking?")_

""Zu sein scheint. Es wurde ständig Fortschritte in Honduras. Es sieht aus wie im Stillstand über fünfundsiebzig Meilen von der Grenze," he answered. _("Seems to be. It has been on the move steadily across Honduras for hours. Looks like it stopped about seventy-five miles from the border.")_

Alvaro wondered how the hell the phone could be hundreds of miles away from its owner, and even questioned if Ivan had somehow misplaced it. It wouldn't have been a surprise, the knuckleheads he hired always proved irresponsible at some point. But then it dawned on him. He retrieved his cell from his pocket and dialed Ivan's number again, but it rang continuously without an answer.

"Damnit!" he shouted and launched the device at the wall, watching it crash into pieces to the floor. "The little fucker tipped them off. He actually found them and tipped them off," the tech guy looked up at his boss in confusion. "They are making a run for it."

Alvaro stormed off to his private office and tried to stomach the smell of death as he picked up the phone from the receiver.

"Want something done right, gotta do it yourself," he groveled as he waited for the other line to pick up. "I need to book a flight to Nicaragua."

* * *

Following a few hours of down time and a poorly-created action movie, Letty finally felt relaxed. She was lying on the posh sofa with her head in Luke's lap as he ran his fingers through hair soothingly. Letty smiled when she spotted Julian dozing off as he lay on his side and rolled his favorite car along the plush carpet. He was fighting sleep hard but she needed to bath him before he let the Sandman take over. She excused herself and carried him off to the bathroom. She ran some water while undressing the child, giving him time to grab as many toys as he could before lifting him over the tub into the water. Grabbing a sponge, Letty drenched his hair with water as he happily splashed an action figure around.

"Mama, where is Papa?" Julian's soft voice asked as he stood so she could wash his back.

Letty froze completely; it wasn't the first time he had asked about Dom. She had never denied him knowing his father, even if Dom was completely unaware of Julian's existence. Letty had showed him pictures, always letting him know that Dom was his Dad. She just never found a way to explain to a two year old that his father had abandoned her because he was wanted by the FBI, and that she had no idea where to find him now.

"I don't know, Julian," he didn't seem fazed as he continued to splash around happily. "Do you like Luke? He's a pretty cool guy, huh?"

Julian's eyes lit up at the mention of his favorite playmate and shook his head feverishly. "Do you 'ike 'Uke, Mama?" he asked in his best voice.

Letty laughed at his baby talk. It wasn't perfect, but it was damn good for a child his age. "Yeah, I think I do buddy."

"He be my Papa now?" his eyes went wide with his inquiry and Letty's reaction was the same.

"No, I don't think he likes us _that_ much," she grinned.

After a few big yawns from the boy, she finished his bath and dressed him in pajamas and carried him off to bed. He snuggled against the pillows and clutched his Barracuda to his chest, somberness easily taking over his body as he soon began snoring lightly. Letty sat on the edge of the bed watching her prince and felt a sense of pride rush over her. She never pictured herself as a mother, much less a single mother but she knew in her heart that she did a good job at raising the small hellion. He was her world and she'd die before she let anyone hurt him.

Letty was so wrapped up in watching Julian sleep that she didn't notice Luke standing in the doorway, watching the scene with a smile.

"He's a beautiful kid," his voice startled her slightly and she turned to him with a smile.

"That he is," she agreed and walked to the door, leaving the light on and the door cracked after exiting. She knew Julian hated being in the dark. "Hey man, I just wanted to say thank you. For everything. You've been great to Julian and me when you didn't have to be, especially when I was a total bitch. It's just the personality. You're gonna have to get used to it," she shrugged carelessly, but Luke could tell she meant it. "Really, you've been a big help."

"Don't mention it. Besides, it looks like you're family and I take care of my family," he returned a sweet smile. "Sleep tight."

As he turned to leave, she grabbed his hand to stop him. When he looked at her with curious eyes she let all her inhibitions go and crushed his lips with her own. He didn't react at first, presumably from shock, but soon met her intensity with the same veracity. Letty could taste his minty toothpaste as her tongue dove deeper into his mouth with hunger. She wrapped her arms around his neck, tangling her fingers in his curly locks. She shivered when his hands traveled down the length of her body, his fingertips grazing the trim of her boxers.

"If you start I'm not sure I'll have the strength to stop again," he muttered breathlessly.

"Maybe I don't want you to stop," her smirk against his lips was all he needed. He lifted her by his ass and her legs wrapped around his waist eagerly. She shook off the sense of déjà vu and deepened the kiss, her tongue dancing in-sync with his as he clutched her close.

Before she knew it Luke was carrying her back to the front of the suite with his face buried in his bosom. He sat down on the edge of the bed with her still in his lap. Letty could feel the fire building in the pit of her stomach and she wasn't sure how long she would be able to hold on. She could feel his member standing at large and knew Luke felt the same.

With all of her might, Letty ripped his wife beater completely from his chest, tearing the fabric away and tossing it over her shoulder. She dragged her claws down his chest, the ripples of his abs flexing against her hands. Just as she was removing her t-shirt, Luke's phone began blaring again. He groaned and tried to ignore it as he stared at her chest with lust-filled eyes. He latched on to her breast, taking her chocolate nipple into his mouth quickly.

"Hey… you gotta … answer that … it could be Leon," she managed between breaths to separate him from her chest.

"He can wait," Luke brushed off, placing open kisses to her collarbone.

"No, he can't," she gathered her strength and removed herself from his lap to give him more motivation.

"What is it Leon?" Luke answered angrily. The way he stood with his hands on his hips and his massive erection protruding behind his pajamas, Letty could tell he wasn't very happy. "It's for you."

"Yo?"

"_Hey baby-girl. I just wanted to see how you were since the retard cut us off earlier."_

"I'm a lot better than I was before," she smirked as Luke sauntered back over, his eyes hungry for her.

"_Good. I already warned ol' Luke to keep his hands to himself. Little fucker thinks he's a playboy."_

"You know none of those corny lines work on me, Le. Besides, he's already been warned. If he fucks _this_ up, you'll end up gaining a new sister," as she spoke these words, Luke was kissing a trail down her belly. His eyes looked as if they would pop out at her warning. He realized she wasn't only talking about the sex.

She could hear Leon speaking on the other end but the way Luke's lips felt on her inner thigh held her attention. It had been a long while – even before Dom left – since she had been touched in such a delicate, sensual way. With Dom, they rarely had time for four-play or love-making. Letty wasn't use to the tenderness but she welcomed it. After all, she hadn't been intimate with anyone in two years.

"_Letty, you hearing me, girl? We got a lot to catch up on when we meet. Make sure Luke keeps it in his pants please, we need everyone focused and he always seems to let these chasers fuck with his responsibility."_

"Yeah, I'll make sure he ... does that," she sucked in her breath as Luke nibbled away. Letty had to clutch her hand to her mouth to contain the excitement she was currently feeling. "Leon, I'll call tomorrow. Bye," she closed the phone without waiting for a reply and tossed it away, clutching Luke's head closer to her wet core in hopes of getting him even closer to her. She tossed her head back as extreme waves of pleasure washed over her as she felt his tongue do wonders to her body.

Lucas slowly made his way back up to her face and attacked her neck, dragging his tongue and teeth over the sensitive flesh.

"Are you sure you're okay with this? I mean, we don't have to-"

Letty shut him up by kissing him once again. She placed both hands on either side of his face and forced him to look at her.

"I haven't felt this way in a long time, Luke. I need this. Please," her eyes were watery and he could've sworn she was ready to burst into tears any minute but he obliged, crawling on top of her anxious to tame the feisty woman.

Or at least _try_ to.

* * *

"_Howdy, pretty lady, where're ya headed?" The driver of a semi asked after spotting Letty and Julian outside of a bus stop in Mexico City._

"_Where you going?" she asked wearily. They had just traveled over a hundred miles by bus and she couldn't afford another ticket._

"_On my way south, stopping in Acapulco."_

"_Sounds good," Letty tossed her few bags in the cabin and climbed in, careful not to wake her nine-month old baby boy. "How much do I owe you?"_

"_Oh, no charge ma'am," she tried to ignore the sleazy looks the trucker gave her; she needed the free ride after-all. But when he switched his hungry gaze to her son, she switched into her protective mother role._

"_You got an issue, man?"_

"_Well, you know nothing in this world is free, darlin'," he said as he placed his hand on her thigh. She slapped it away quickly._

"_Do not touch me," she snarled, moving closer to the door away from the driver. "Listen, I have like 150 bucks. Take it."_

"_Feisty, I like that," he purred, "But I'm not talking about money. What about him? He's awfully cute."_

"Darlin'? Letty?"

The nightmare Letty was having was causing her to thrash around the bed violently, and when Luke tried to wake her by shaking her gently, she responded by planting a hard palm on his nose, crushing it from the force.

"Ow fuck!" he yelped and clutched his new bloody nose. She startled awake at his cry, shocked to see him bleeding profusely from his nose.

"Luke, what happened?!" she quickly ran to the bathroom and retrieve a wet cloth for him.

"You were having a nightmare. I tried to wake you, and you broke my damn nose."

She held his head back and placed the cool cloth against his face, absentmindedly rubbing circles on the nape of his neck. It worked when she needed to sooth Julian, and Luke reacted the same, his breathing slowing and a small smile etching on his face.

"I'm a train wreck, I'm sorry," she whispered guilty.

"What were you dreaming about?"

"This trucker. When Julian and I were on our way out of Mexico and I couldn't afford another bus ticket and a motel room, so he stopped to give us a ride. About ten minutes into the drive, the fucking perv suggested that I pay him in sex. He didn't want my money. And when I declined, he decided Julian would do. That hillbilly was a fucking creep."

"You didn't…"

"Hell no!" she exclaimed, "I broke the fucker's hand when he tried to reach for him. That's where I got the gun. Shot out four of his tires and got the hell out of there."

Luke stared at her; she was still topless and her hair was in a tangled mess, but he hadn't seen anyone more beautiful. He couldn't stop himself from tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, which made her cheeks turn a considerable pink color.

"Why don't you go get Little Man up and I'll order breakfast, then we'll get back on the road."

Letty quickly dressed, grinning when she found her clothing was sprawled all around the room, and bounded cheerily into the back room. Julian was still sleeping, but she decided to pounce on the bed anyways which caused him to stir awake. She leaned over him as he opened his sleepy eyes and was happy when he beamed up a bright smile for her.

"Good morning, Ju-Ju," he howled with laughter as she tickled him furiously.

"Mornin' Mama," he greeted with a thumb stuck in his mouth.

"Listen, we have to get back on the road again. Things might get a little crazy later so I'll need your full cooperation, Soldier," she said with her hand raised in salute. He stood at attention and returned the gesture giddily. "Cool. Why don't you pack your toys up, then we'll eat and head out."

The three were packed and dressed, lounging around the room until there was a knock at the door. The loud growl that rumbled in her belly rushed her to the door quickly to retrieve the room service. Pulling open the door, she was slightly taken aback by the size of the servant. He was a tall man, well over six feet, with a stocky frame and a bushy moustache. He stood out like a sore thumb.

"Your breakfast, madam."

The moment the words left his mouth, Letty's skin became covered with goose-bumps. If it wasn't his stature that made him conspicuous, it was definitely the rough accent he spoke in. The way he stared at her knowingly caused her senses to go on high-alert.

"Pancakes!" Julian squealed as he ran for the door, but Letty scooped him before he made it out.

"What a cute little boy," he reached for Julian's hair, but Letty reacted fast by slapping his hand away. If looks could kill, the server would be six feet under.

"You're free to go now," she sniped, glaring daggers into the man's face. He gave a slimey smile, revealing stained and crooked teeth. When he reached up to tip his hat, she took notice of a spider tattooed across his hand.

"You have a nice day, madam. I'll see you two around," he smirked at her one last time before disappearing down the hall.

"What was that about?" Luke asked as Letty reappeared, this time her face ghostly pale.

"That dude … he was creepy as hell. He just stared at Julian like he was a piece of meat. Reached for him, just like that trucker did."

"Did you get his name?" Luke asked, picking up the phone to complain to the manager. "I'll give his boss a little call."

She thought hard, trying to remember seeing a name-tag on the red vest, but nothing came to mind, "I don't know his name."

"Well he was wearing a name-tag right?" She looked at him fearfully and shook her head. "Okay, meet me downstairs in five minutes. I'm gonna pull the car around and check out. Do not talk to anyone, Let," he gave her a quick peck before grabbing their things and rushing out of the room.

She waited a tense three minutes before clutching Julian's hand and leaving the room, hustling hurriedly to the elevator at the end of the hall. She pressed the button hastily, cursing the door for taking its time. Just as the door was closing, a hand flew in just in time to stop them. He spat a slew of curses at her in German as Letty continued slamming on the button to take them to the lobby floor. Letty zoned in on the black spider plastered on the hand and knew she couldn't let him on the elevator. As he tried to pry the doors open with half of his leg in the elevator, Letty reached for her pocketknife holster and pulled out the blade, covering Julian's eyes before driving the knife into the man's thigh. The man screeched in anguish as she dragged the blade down his thigh, blood quickly pooling beneath his feet. When she lodged the blade directly into the tattooed spider, he hollered and withdrew his limbs quickly, giving the door just enough time to close in his face. The elevator gave a jolt before going down and Letty sighed thankfully, holding Julian tight against her body, never taking her eyes off her bloody knife.

Letty didn't budge when the elevator came to a halt, dinging when they finally made it to the lower level. As the doors slid open, she tightened her grip on the knife and Julian, prepared to take down anyone on the other side of the door. She let out a deep sigh when her tall knight had been standing there. He looked from her to the knife that hung loosely from her fingertips now, blood dripping from the weapon.

"What happened, Letty?" he asked, rushing to look over her and Julian to make sure they weren't hurt.

"We gotta get the hell out of Honduras. I can't take much more of this shit."


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter 13 - Enlightenment**_

_**Tokyo, Japan**_

The following morning Dom practically glided to the kitchen at the smell of Mia's homemade pancakes. One smell of the chocolate-chip flapjacks and he was heaven; Dom was definitely thankful for Mia showing up unannounced. Her cooking had been his favorite since she was old enough to see over the stove. She had their mother's natural touch when it came to cooking, and he was slightly jealous that Brian was the one reaping the benefits.

Upon entering the kitchen he was surprised to see he was the last one to wake and it was only eight AM. He walked to the stove where Mia was standing over a pan of simmering bacon and kissed her cheek affectionately. She already had a mug of steaming coffee waiting and he took it graciously, taking a seat at the island. It was nice to have some normality in his life again.

"I could get use to this," he teased.

"Get a wife then," she retorted with a smile, sitting a plate of pancakes and bacon in front of him.

"Uncle Dommie!" Dom smiled as his niece ran towards him, her long ponytail bouncing behind her and a happy smile on her face. He lifted her into the air and placed sloppy kisses on her cheek.

"How's my favorite princess?" he asked as he sat her on the stool next to him.

"Good," she grinned. He looked down at the young girl and couldn't help but smile. She was the spitting image of Mia with her long brown hair and olive skin, but the striking blue eyes were all Brian. She was a sweet girl who loved playing with her dolls and loved anything pink. "Why you no come home, Uncle Dommie?"

"Brooklyn, I already told you – Uncle Dommie lives here now. He can't live with us forever," Mia explained to her daughter as she sat a plate of food in front of her.

"But why? I missed you. Daddy don't drive fast," she looked up at him with sad eyes. Dom had to turn away; those blue eyes always got to him. He knew one day that she'd use them against him.

Dom lifted her with a deep laugh and sat her on his lap, "Honey, it's not your fault. Daddy is just a bad driver."

At that time, Brian and Elena entered through the patio, Brian's laughter stopping as he caught the end of Dom's response.

"Corrupting my daughter?"

"I think you've done that on your own. She already knows I'm a better driver."

"Is that so?" Brian scooped the little girl up and sat her on the island. She erupted with giggles as her father tickled her sides.

Dom watched the interaction between father and daughter and he couldn't ignore the jealousy he felt. He never thought seriously about being a dad, but seeing Brian with Brooklyn, watching the child grow up, he knew he longed for that affection. To create something to precious and innocent, to guide them in the right path like he father tried to with him. To have someone worship him, and him worship them the same. To teach his mini-me about cars, the birds and bees, and family. Without his family around, he had no one to protect anymore. They were all adults now, starting families of their own. He never had the opportunity to try with Letty; it never seemed like the right time to start a family. Not on the run. And now he would never have the chance.

"What's so funny anyway?" Mia asked, not missing the longing look in Dom's eyes as he watched the toddler.

"Brian was just telling me about the joys of being married to the snoring Toretto. You know Mia, I didn't peg you as a snorer," Elena laughed as Mia rifled a fist into Brian's shoulder.

"What? She asked why I looked so tired. I didn't wanna lie to her," he defended himself with a smile.

"Well I hope you're feeling really good about your honesty when you're sleeping on the couch tonight," she said with a sweet smile that wiped Brian's clear off his face. "So what's on the agenda today?"

"Well, I thought Brian would like to come with me to work today. Maybe if we get him around some men, he'll worry about something other than my love life," Dom taunted as Brian flipped him the bird. Mia punched him again and he howled in agony.

"Not in front of Brooklyn. You know she mimics," she griped, "Anyways, I thought we'd have a girls day out, maybe check out a nail salon."

Brooklyn squealed with cheer at the mention of a salon. _Such a girly-girl_, Dom thought.

The family split up, Dom and Brian heading for the garage and Mia, Elena, and Brooklyn in search of a pampering salon. When Dom pulled into the garage, he was glad to see his crew already working.

"Hey, I thought I'd call around and see if I can get any leads on Leon," Brian said as they entered the garage. Dom nodded.

"Guys, lemme talk to you for a second," Dom's roaring voice echoed throughout the barely empty garage. Sean, Earl, Reiko, and Twink ceased working and surrounded Brian and Dom. "This is my brother-in-law, Brian. He's gonna be giving us a hand today."

"Good, 'cuz we got a ton of cars coming in. Especially that pain-in-the-ass Skyline," Twink said, shoving the paperwork for the car into Brian's hands. He grinned with a shrug; Skyline's were his specialty.

"You know anything about cars?" Sean questioned with his arms crossed over his chest. He was territorial of the garage.

"Yeah, bro. I mean, they're the ones with the big circle thingy on the inside, right?" Brian made a motion to show him turning a steering wheel. "Or is that the one you have to peddle?"

Dom gave a hearty laugh and slapped him upside the head, "Get to work, smart ass. And hurry with the Nissan 'cuz I got a 3000GT with your name on it. Earl, show him around," Earl nodded and led Brian over to the white Nissan.

Dom shook his head and made his way to the office. He changed into his blue VonDutch work shirt and flopped down in the boss's chair. He looked up at the portrait of Han that was over the door and smiled. After his death, he left the garage to Dom, the only man he could trust. Han left a portion of his heist money to the garage so they could afford top-of-the-line equipment if needed. The rest of his fortune – over four million – went to his family back home in L.A. Dom wondered whatever happened to Gisele. He knew they traveled a lot when the two left Rio, but they soon split after a year together. Last Dom heard, she went back to her life as a Mossad agent, working undercover in an undisclosed location.

Whether he wanted it or not, Dom was now the proud owner of Seoul-Oh's Mechanics and the new leader of the dysfunctional team that came with it. He's since then handed that prestigious honor over to Sean, the Drift King, himself.

Looking over the incoming orders for the week, Dom dove deep into his work for a few hours and barely noticed when the door opened with a slight creek. Sean gave a small knock and Dom waved him in.

"What's up with the pretty boy?" he got straight to the point as he sat down in front of Dom.

Dom gave a small smile and pushed the paperwork away, "What do you mean?"

"The city boy. Seems a little too nosey for my likin'. What is he, a cop?"

"Former, yeah. He's instinctful, but he's a good guy so give him a break. He's only gonna be here for about a week if you're that threatened."

"I'm not threatened, but if he smarts me off again, _cop_ or not, I'll knock those pretty teeth of his down his throat," Sean was now leaning across the table and his cheeks were ten different shades of pink.

"You really think he's pretty? I mean the hair is great, but he's got that goofy-" Dom laughed deep from his stomach when Sean stormed out angrily.

"What's wrong with the redneck?" Brian asked as he caught the door before it slammed in his face.

"He thinks you're a cop."

"Do I have a freaking badge tattooed on my forehead?!" Brian replied incredulously.

"Don't sweat it, O'Connor. What do you have there?" he asked, motioning to the stack of papers that Brian was holding.

"Well I have at least one friend still working with the Feds, Agent Lihn. She didn't get a hit on a Leonardo Caparilli anywhere in the U.S, but you know that famous cigar guy? Lenny Hernandez. _Senior_," said Brian as he placed a photo of a stocky Cuban man with a handlebar moustache on the desk in front of Dom.

"What's the connection?"

"His wife is a woman named Sophia Caparilli, lives in Los Angeles, about four blocks from Echo Park."

"Leon's mom's name is Sophia," the connection finally dawned on him. "Cigar guy is Leon's dad." Staring at the picture, he could see the resemblance – the bright green eyes, the strong jaw line. It was definitely Leon's father.

"Yeah, he died last year. Dude was worth a fortune, left it all to his pride and joy."

"So Leon is rich now?"

"Not Leon, his baby brother. Lucas Hernandez, twenty-two old years old, last known address is in Miami, Florida."

"Leon has a brother?" Dom was flabbergasted by all the new findings. He realized that after over decade of friendship, he hardly knew Leon at all.

"You don't know much about him, do you?"

"He and Jesse showed up at the races together one night. They got on with Vince and he convinced me that they would be good assets to the team. He was right. All I really knew was that his parents split and he lived with his mom. He never mentioned he had a brother and he definitely didn't say his father was a cigar mogul," Dom felt a little uneasy about his friend. Why had he kept so much useless information private when they were supposed to be a family? His family didn't have secrets. "You think Leon is with his brother in Miami?"

"Neither of them is in Florida. I called up Agent Markham in Miami and he knew exactly who I was looking for. Said other than a couple misdemeanor racing tickets, the kid is a saint. Does volunteer work in the community, and funded the construction of several parks in his neighborhood."

"Explains why no one knew about him; Leon didn't want our trouble catching up to the little brother."

"Where do we go from here?" Brian asked after laying all the cards on the table.

"Find Lucas. If anyone knows where Leon is, it has to be him."

* * *

Leon took a long drag from his cigarette as he leaned against his car, patiently waiting for his team to finish gassing up at a rest stop. He was thankful for the break. He was running on barely any sleep and the only thing keeping him going was a ton of coffee and the anxiety of seeing Letty again. Leon was devastated when he received the call informing him of her funeral, so discovering her again sent a rush of relief and happiness through him. He had words for her though and she wouldn't be happy.

"You know that's gonna kill you," James said as he leaned against the Supra.

Leon chuckled and dropped the butt under his shoe, "Yeah, and all my other habits are doing wonders to my health."

"Listen, I understand taking this God-awful trip for your brother, but this girl… is she worth it?"

"Without a doubt, yes," Leon replied without hesitation, "I've known this woman for over a decade. She was a vital piece of my old team, one of my best friends, and she was Dominic's girlfriend. I have to get her back to him."

"This Dominic guy the same one who got your friend killed?"

"He didn't get Jesse killed. It was the shit we kept getting ourselves involved in. We were all adults and we all knew the consequences. Dom just escalated the situation further than it should've gone."

"Whatever. From how you tell it, the guy sounds like a real fucking prick. If he steps out of line, I will be happy to put him in his place," James said with a smile, slapping Leon's back.

Leon rolled his eyes; he knew Dom could crush James, but if he wanted to act tough, he'd find that out soon enough. He turned his attention to Jerry.

"What did you find?" his question caught Red's attention and she hurriedly put away the pump and joined the conversation.

"Thank goodness for wireless internet. I did a quick search and you won't believe this," Jerry stated, opening his laptop and showing a mug-shot of Dom. "I pulled up a search of a Dominic L. Toretto and any recent arrests or convictions, and it looks like your boy is still wanted and he's made the top of the Most Wanted list, and he's not by himself."

With that piece of info, Leon scanned the website, "Dominic Toretto, Mia Toretto, and former FBI agent Brian O'Connor are all wanted in questioning for the murders of three ATF agents during a robbery on a train carrying DEA agents in possession of high-priced stolen cars. The three criminals are also wanted for the robbery of one Hernan Reyes, a business man who was a key figure in Rio de Janiero's financial state. Jesus fucking Christ, Dom!" Leon snapped after reading over the news article dated two years earlier.

"Looks like your hero has been real active," Red said sarcastically. "Too bad he can't take credit for those ATF agents. That'd be a real nice shine on his rap-sheet. Though I'm surprised they didn't tack on a hefty destruction of property charge."

"What the hell does that mean?" he snapped, shoving her against the side of his car and his hands planted on either side of her face. "What do you know about this, Red?"

She could see the fire in his eyes and she thought carefully before speaking; Leon didn't have the greatest temper, especially when he was jacked up on cocaine and coffee.

"That story was all over the news. I lived in Rio at that time. They tore the city to pieces, but they didn't kill the agents. Reyes was a corrupt business man who had every city official in his wallet. One of his idiotic men killed those agents."

"I thought you were from New York?" James asked, narrowing his eyes at her_. Great_, she thought, _the last thing I need is for that paranoid fuck to get into Leon's head._

"I am, dipshit. My father was in the military and he got sent around a lot. Germany, Japan, Washington. Brazil was the last place we lived before … he passed."

Leon stared deep into her hazel eyes as she spoke and he could sense that she was hiding something but he wasn't sure what. He never had to question whether he could trust her, but now she had thrown him for a loop twice in one day.

"There's more," Jerry's timid voice turned the attention back to him, "It looks as if the FBI sent in their secret weapon to track him down. A Diplomatic Security Service agent, Luke Hobbs. He was assigned to capture Dominic and anyone of his accomplices seen with him. It appears he was found, but managed to escape without cuffs. Took a Rio officer with him, speculation says she's his girlfriend. Hobbs is still on the case. This all stems from a prison bus break orchestrated by the ex-cop. Dom was just sentenced to 25-to-life after being caught in the Mexico desert. The three escaped before they even made it half-way to Lompoc."

"I guess your golden boy isn't so golden after all, huh?" Red spat as she slid back in her car, slamming the door behind her.

"It's not much, but I'll be able to do a more thorough search when we're settled."

"You getting the feeling that she's hiding something?" James whispered once they were alone.

"More than a feeling. I know for a fact she knows more than she says. Have Jerry dig up everything he can on her, discreetly please. If nothing turns up, we let it go. But if he does find something, you let me handle it. Got it?" James nodded and jogged back to his car.

Leon kept his mind fixated on the article, wondering what the hell made Dom take his illegal activity to another continent and drag Mia along with him. He wasn't surprised to see Brian still in the picture – Mia loved him and Dom respected him. He would always be in the family, cop or not. He was even more devastated that Dom was romantically involved with a cop. That was news he had no clue how to pass on to Letty. And the longer he held that from her, the more heinous his murder would be at her hands.

"So he abandons her in a foreign county and runs off with a cop, and she fakes her death. Why can't they be like a normal couple and break up?"

* * *

Red took a harsh breath as she dialed her phone swiftly, eager to relay the details she had stumbled upon. She always hated this part – reporting anything that went on between the crew to her boss. Even though she didn't want to, she really liked the guys that she clung to for the past two years. They were her home away from home, but that didn't take away from her mission.

"What have you got, Red?"

"They pulled up the robbery in Rio. And you were right – Officer Neves is still with him. Hernandez seems a little devastated. I think he really hoped the heists would stop. Like I said before, he hasn't had any contact with Toretto in a while. He had no clue about anything that the Torettos have been implicated in since the heists in L.A. I don't think he knows anything."

"That isn't your decision to make. Where are you guys headed? I'll have a car pick you up."

"You cannot do that. You'll blow everything I've worked my ass off for!"

"You said he's trying to contact Toretto and bring him in. That's all I need to know. Now what part of that was unclear?"

"I understand that, but we won't get to Dom until we get to Germany. I just need more time."

"You are running out of time, dear. Now we asked you to take this on because you were objective, but if you're getting too attached I can find another-"

"No!" she yelled quickly. "I can handle this. I just hope you're prepared to handle the shit storm that will follow. I'll see you in Germany."


	14. Chapter 14

_**I know the story isn't moving along as fast as some might like, but everything happening is pertinent to the story. I promise if you guys stick by me that the confrontation you're waiting for is coming soon. Read and Review please!**_

_**Chapter 14-Questions**_

Letty gave a big stretch after stirring awake; she was over sleeping in a car for hours at a time. As hard, uncomfortable and squeaky as the motel bed was, she would almost beg to be back in it. It was well into the early hours of the morning when Letty spotted the sign that welcomed them into Boaca, a city in Central Nicaragua and she couldn't have been happier. That meant they were close to meeting Leon and getting out of harm's way.

Her nerves had her on edge. She wasn't sure why but she was getting a bad vibe about reuniting with Leon. Sure, she was ecstatic to see her long-time friend again, but she couldn't help thinking that it would come at a price. Once she became alive again, it would be hard to keep the news from spreading. Who would be after her then? Braga … the FBI … or even worse, Dominic?

Every day she thought about the moment that she would see Dominic again, if ever. Her heart rate excelled at just the thought of being in the same room with him. Part of her wanted to rip his guts out and feed them to him, the other half just wanted to see his smile. That smile - The one that won her heart in the first place. He could wreck her car, and with one flash of that grin, she'd be mush in his hands. Sometimes she thought he used it purposely for his advantage.

But now when she thought about his bright smile, she could only see the lies behind that smile. He wanted to split to save her from prosecution, but she pleaded with him. They were a team, everyone knew they belonged together. He agreed to stick it out until they had enough money to stop the heists, therefore, no more cops. She thought she had convinced him; they made love to celebrate his change of heart. He held her close to him, like every other night. Letty had no doubt that when she awoke in the morning he would be there. But boy was she wrong.

Letty was tired of being wrong. She was tired of defending others when she had no one to have her back. Vince left and never tried to contact her again. Leon was gone, Jesse dead. Mia closed herself off after Dom ran. She blamed Letty for Dom's running, saying that her constant need for a chase forced Dom to flee. Letty knew Mia didn't mean it; she was only speaking out of anger. Letty was dead wrong – for hooking up with the Feds to help Dom, for believing that he would stay with her. Mostly for having hope that he'd come back. After the mishap at the hotel, she felt herself retreating back into her shell. When she let her guard down, things began to fall apart around her. She let her guard down in the DR and ended up alone. She needed to keep her emotions in check and her eyes wide open if she wanted to stay alive. Especially for Julian's sake.

"We're running low on gas. I'm gonna give Leon a call and find out where we are meeting. It should be another day of driving left. Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she ran a shaky hand through her hair, "I'll go get some snacks."

She reached into the back seat and released Julian from the car seat, carrying him into the gas station. She let him pick out a lollipop and grabbed a few snacks of her own before loading up the counter at the register.

"Ju-Ju, don't," she begged as he tried repeatedly to reach for nearby PEZ dispensers. She made eye contact with the cashier, who looked nervous and frightened. He rang her items up slowly, which irritated the hell out of her. "Julian, please!" she yelled again, snatching the toy that he managed to snag and pushing it out of reach.

Looking over her shoulder, she could see Luke standing next to the car, pump in hand as he spoke animatedly on the phone. He turned and caught her eye, giving her a small smile and a thumbs up. She huffed in annoyance as her total rang up and she pulled some bills out of her wallet. Watching the cashier bag her things, his eyes kept moving to his left, almost as if he was trying to warn her of something. She looked out the corner of her eye and saw a tall man pretending to read a magazine a few feet away. She knew he was pretending because the magazine was upside down. He kept glancing up at her and she held the stare until something caught her eye – the same black spider tattooed on his hand.

"Mama, toy!" he whined, reaching again for the toy again.

"Julian, please leave the damn toy alone!" she snapped, startling the toddler to tears. Letty grabbed her bag and hurried out the door.

What happened next was so fast; Letty could only stand frozen, almost as if she was in a time warp. Luke never saw the black car pulling up behind him, or the men who jumped out and surrounded the car. She tried to scream, to warn him, but she couldn't get any sound to come out. She could only feel; the coldness of the tears running down her face, the hand that clutched her mouth shut from behind, and the gun pressed to her back. The sound of the gunshot snapped her back to reality, and Luke's fallen body sent her into a fury, thrashing around angrily in her capturer's hold.

"You three are sure hard to find," another accented man said as he slowly exited the back of one of the cars, fastening the buttons on an eggshell-colored suit.

Letty didn't care about him, but she needed to get to Luke. She could see his body … and the blood … and the fact that he wasn't moving. She chomped down hard on the hand covering her mouth and when she was free, she ran like hell as fast as she could before being grabbed by her hair by another man. She had a better view of Luke and he seemed to be coming to, coughing and screaming for help.

"Luke!" she dropped to her knees, cradling her screaming child in her arms.

"Leticia, I need you to listen to me," the white suit said as he kneeled down next to her. "I know you've had a rough life and I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but things are about to get a lot worse. I need the boy."

"Fuck you!" she screamed, never taking her eyes off Luke and her arms off Julian.

"That's not nice, Leticia. I'm not the one to blame here, Leon is. I need to teach him a lesson, so I need the boy," he turned his sights on the crying toddler. He placed his hand on his head, pushing his curls out of his face. "Julian, is it? Buddy, I need you to come with me."

"Get away from them!" Luke howled as he pulled himself to lean up against the Jetta.

"Shut up Lucas! Before I change my mind on continuing to let you breath for another four weeks," he shouted before looking back to Letty. "I'm sorry, where are my manners. My name is Alvaro Koenig. Leon has come into possession of something of mine, and it's very critical that he returns it to me. Now, I'm sure Leon is an outstanding guy, but he's given me reason to believe that I can't exactly trust him. What, with that little drug problem of his. So I have to take something of his to hold as collateral."

"Why me? Why us? I shouldn't have to pay for Leon's fuck-ups!"

"You are correct, but you two mean more to Leon than anything. So hand him over," when Alvaro grabbed for Julian, she snatched her pistol from her waistband and fired at the foot of the man with his fingers tangled in her hair. Alvaro motioned for his own pistol, but Letty was quick enough to press the barrel to his forehead, stopping him cold in his tracks. Each of the henchmen retrieved their weapons, but Koenig put up his hands.

"Put 'em down, boys. This little lady is too vital to our mission."

"You back the fuck off!" Letty roared as she tightened her grip, never lowering the gun from between his eyes. Several of his men reacted, all drawing their weapons and pointing them at her, but that didn't scare her. "Now, I don't know what beef you have with Leon, but you take that up with him. I have been punished for other people's mistakes for far too long. I will not stand here and hand over my child to some German cocksucker in a cheap suit. Now, you said a month. What happens then?"

Alvaro was surprised how well she held the gun and knew she was probably responsible for the death of his men. He never could get a good look at her through the photos, but seeing her then and now in the flesh, he realized just how gorgeous she was. "Luke, I see why you clung to this one. She's beautiful."

Letty moved the gun away from his face long enough to cock the chamber back, "A month for what?"

"I told Leon he had to return to me what's mine, or the three of you will be dead."

"Then go through on your fucking word and give him the month. If he doesn't come through, you can have me. Not my child. I'm sure you'd like me more. Me. Deal?" she stared at him with cold, fiery black eyes.

"How do I know you won't just disappear again? Maybe fake your death twice."

"Because I'm going to shove my boot so far up Leon's ass that he'll taste rubber for a week. You'll get what belongs to you. But if you so much as breathe near my child again, I'll slice you open. Just like I did your boy," she nodded to a man she recognized as the room service from the hotel, only now he was in all black with an AK-47 hanging from his shoulder, pointing directly at her.

Alvaro gave a small smile; he liked her blazing attitude. It turned him on. "Okay, Leticia-"

"Please, call me Letty," she replied mockingly.

"Letty, if I don't see my possession in one month I'll be paying you a visit. And don't even think about skipping out. I know everything about you. I know you're very infamous in the United States. And I know you're not so liked in Mexico. I'll see you around, gorgeous," he gave a smile that made Letty's skin crawl. His eyes were so empty, soul-less even. She held the gun to his head and walked him backwards back to his car.

"Go get in the car baby," she sat Julian down and lowered the gun to Alvaro's jewels, her eyes daring him to look at her son. Julian opened the door and crawled into the front seat, looking out the window at Luke, who gave him the best smile he could.

"I'll be seeing you two _real_ soon. Don't count on me being so generous next time," Koenig spat as he slid into the back seat of his car. She didn't lower her weapon until each car was well out of sight.

"Letty," Luke's gurgling had her running to his side.

"Oh fuck man, this is bad," she said as she assessed his wound. He was hit on his lower right side and bleeding profusely. "We gotta get you some help."

"No way; we go to a hospital, they ID you, back to the US you go," he managed to get to his feet and used the car to help keep his balance. "You know how to sew?"

"Do I look like I can sew?"

He laughed, which helped lower her fear a little. "Point taken. Run back in there and get some thread, a roll of paper towels," he looked down at his blood-soaked black t-shirt, "Better make that two rolls, a shit ton of aspirin and a bottle of liquor."

Letty ran back into the store, where the cashier was screaming at her in Portuguese but she ignored him as she frantically collected each of the items that he asked for. She added a case of Corona and tossed a couple bills on the table before hurrying out the store. She helped Luke into the passenger seat and hopped behind the wheel, peeling off quickly. After another half-hour of driving, they spotted another rundown motel in a remote area and decided to take one last stop. Letty took Julian and the items inside the room first, before going back out to assist Luke inside. After getting Julian settled with some cartoons, she prepared to take on the task of stitching Luke's bullet hole. Letty cracked open a beer first and took a long swig before helping Luke with his shirt off.

"That's pretty gnarley, babe," she grimaced as she got a better look of the wound. "Luckily, it only grazed you."

"There should be a first-aid kit somewhere. Look for a needle and some gauze wrap," he said as he guzzled the harsh whiskey down. He yelped at the sting of the alcohol as he poured it on his wound, but he knew it would help numb it and slow down the bleeding. Letty searched all over the room before finding the makeshift kid under the kitchen sink. She snatched the bottle from him and tipped it back quickly, before again dousing the bloody area with liquor. She shoved a towel in his mouth and winced as she began weaving the thread into his flesh. After a few tugs and pulls, and shouts of misery from Lucas, she was surprised to see the wound actually closing.

"So what does the tattoo mean? I've been meaning to ask," she said, pointing to the ink that lined his waist.

"After fights with my Pops, my ma would pray with her rosary and it was almost like a chant to her. Love Conquers All. She lives by it; I'm trying to do the same thing. If I believe in love and its power, I can have and do anything I want."

Letty thought hard about his words. Love Conquers All. Was it true? Did love over power all of the evils in the world? Greed? Dishonesty? Murder? Family, friendship … it was all held together by compassion and unconditional love. If Dominic really loved her, wouldn't he have stayed by her side, even with the cops closing in? Wouldn't have he wanted to be with her, where he was safest?

"I'm sure he had his reasons … why he left."

"I swear, I think you can read my mind. But fuck his reasoning."

"Well it's either that, or he's just fucking insane. I don't know anyone who wouldn't want to be around you, all the time."

She blushed slightly, giving him a soft punch in the gut.

"All right, all done," she sighed thankfully, wiping away the excess blood. "Mia would be proud."

"Why's that?"

"She was on her way to being a doctor. Damn good too. She would always use me as her dummy, always poking and prodding. But it just wasn't my scene."

"And what was? The garage?"

"Oh hell yeah. Ever since I was ten years old. My dad taught me everything I knew about cars; how they ran, what made them stop running. But it was Mr. Toretto, Dino as he made us call him, Dino taught me the true beauty of a car. What goes into building one, how to make it go faster. He even bought me my first car."

"What was it?"

"'97 Nissan 240SX. It was a piece of junk when I got it, but Dom and I turned her into a beast. My first race in it I won by two car lengths, 2,000 dollars. Nobody could beat me. I was unstoppable," she smiled as she remembered her glory days.

"What happened to it? The car?"

"I have no idea. When I called for the Jetta, I was originally looking for the Nissan, but it seemed to have vanished. I figured the police got a hold of it, or some bum stripped it down for parts. What I would give to see that car one more time."


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter 15-Contacts**_

Red stared worriedly at Leon across the motel room they were sharing in Panama City as he sat frozen with his cell phone to his ear for the second time in less than an hour. She could hear the other voice and knew it was the infamous Latina. She waited impatiently for him to speak when he ended the call, but when he picked up a nearby vase and launched it at the wall, she decided to wait until he calmed to speak.

"What'd she say, Leo?"

"Alvaro found them, showed up at the gas station. One of his men shot Luke," he said with tear-filled eyes.

"Oh shit. Is he all right?" she asked, moving to stand cautiously by his side.

"He's fine. They got a motel and she stitched him up. Letty said Koenig tried to take her kid. We gotta get this fool his money," Leon exasperated as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Hey," Red placed her hands on his face to lock eyes with him. "We're gonna get them. And we are gonna take care of that asshole Alvaro too, but you need to keep it together and keep your nose clean. Don't throw away everything for some cheap high. You're too good for that shit," she said, absentmindedly rubbing her thumbs across his jaw-line. His scruffy shadow tickled her fingers, but that didn't stop her.

"I ain't ever been a good guy, Red. Even as a kid I was a screw-up. That's why my parents split - always fighting over me. Dad wanted to send me away, but Mom fought tooth-and-nail for me. Said if I had to leave then she was going with me. After a few years of juvie visits and school suspensions, he stopped begging her to stay," Leon didn't brush away the tears that landed on her fingertips. Instead, she kissed them away, the saltiness lingering on her lips.

"You can't blame yourself. If you wanna do something right for a change, keep your eye on the prize and save your family. But you have to do that with a clear, sober head."

Leon nodded and sniffled, swallowing down his hurt pride. "Listening to James. I thought that shit would give me an advantage, but it's done nothing but get in the way. I'm gonna work on it, Red," he promised, placing his hands on her hips. Her hands were still holding his face and they were standing only inches apart, his body heat radiating against hers. Red found herself moving closer to Leon, pressing her body flush against his. When his fingers grazed the skin peeking out from her tank-top, she bit down on her lower lip and fought the urge to kiss him. But when his hand palmed her ass and gave it a little squeeze, she couldn't resist tasting his lips. Leon didn't hesitate kissing her back, running his tongue across her bottom lip and unknowingly sending chills down her spine. Red separated her lips partly and allowed the muscle access, massaging his tongue with hers.

Just as his hand was roaming up the back of her shirt, there was a frantic knock at the door. Leon growled in anger, "What?!"

"I got the information you wanted," Jerry's voice called back from the other side of the door.

Leon gave her lips one last peck before moving to open the door. He stood by as the nervous young man entered.

"What the hell happened there?" he asked as he tried to avoid the broken glass that Red was cleaning from the floor.

"Clumsy ass tripped over the cord, smashed the damn vase," Leon was amazed at how well she lied through her teeth, but he gave her a thankful wink.

"What is it that couldn't wait til the morning?"

"I searched the lady friend, one Officer Elena Neves. You know it's crazy what you can find on the internet. Especially if you know where to look," Leon caught Red fidget as she looked over Jerry's shoulder. "Her passports show frequent trips to Goa, India in the past two years."

"So he's in India?"

"Maybe. I did a search on her phone records. Recent incoming and outgoing calls to the same number in Tokyo, Japan. So you got two different countries to search."

"Did you get a number for the India contact?"

Jerry handed him a stack of print-outs, "Everything you wanted is there._ Everything_," he said, looking directly into Leon's eyes.

Leon understood the double meaning and gave Jerry a grateful pat on the back before escorting him out of the room. When Leon turned from the door Red was standing behind him, hands placed proudly on her hips as she showed off her naked body. He grinned cheekily, taking in the beauty of her curves from top to bottom.

"You know, Red, this isn't helping your lesbian argument. Though I could really do wonders to a body like that," he didn't try to hide his interest in her body. Red was a gorgeous girl with exotic skin tone thanks to her Caribbean background and tattoos covering her body. Leon always did love a woman with tattoos – it meant she wasn't afraid of a little pain. Not to mention she had the ass of a pin-up girl and there was nothing he loved more than a nice ass.

Red made sure to wait a few hours after Leon was long asleep before she crept out from under the hold he had around her waist and snaked her way out of his bed. She dug into his duffle bag, pulling out the documents that Jerry gave him earlier. She looked on as Leon stirred slightly, but he rolled over and his soft snores were heard again. She couldn't peel her eyes away from him; he was a damn good lover, which she had to admit. He did things to her body that she didn't think was possible, but knew she couldn't let it go to her head. It was only business, or at least that's what she kept telling herself.

Red slipped on her sneakers and grabbed the room key before sneaking quietly out the door. She opened the door quietly to her car and slid in. She was so indulged into Jerry's findings that she didn't see James stepping out of the motel entrance, lighting his cigarette. He noticed the light on in her car and decided to check it out. James crept around and crouched behind nearby cars until he was next to her Ford Talladega. Peeking inside over her shoulder, he saw her looking over the paperwork that Jerry was handling earlier that evening. She had her cell phone attached to her ear but with the window up it made it hard to decipher the muffling. When she finished her call, he decided to make his presence known by giving a small wrap on the window. She jumped out of fright, clutching her hand to her chest as she rolled the window down.

"What the fuck are you doing, man? You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Couldn't sleep, decided to have a smoke," he held up his lit stick for proof, "What are you doing out here?"

"Same thing, but I'm feeling pretty beat now so," she opened the door with the papers clutched under her arm.

"What are you doing with those?" he asked coyly; he could see her squirming under his gaze and he loved it. He knew it meant she was up to something, just as he suspected.

"Just checking it out, J. Seeing if anything stood out to me," she replied, walking back towards the motel.

"Well did it?" he asked to her retreating back. "Who the hell are you, woman?"

"You already know the answer to that, don't you?" she held the papers up that had her mug shot sprawled on the front page. "Sleep tight."

* * *

"You know Dominic, I hate going home alone after visiting you," Elena said as she snuggled closer under the arm that was wrapped around her shoulder.

Dom sighed, already knowing where the conversation was headed.

"Elena, I told you already: I can't go back to Rio again and it's too dangerous for you to live with me right now."

"But why? If you're not doing anything illegal, why can't I stay?" she begged with sad eyes.

"Because Hobbs is still after me and if he wanted to, he could use you to find us. We're already taking a chance having you visit me. You could go to prison if they catch you with me."

"Don't you think if Hobbs wanted you that you would be sitting in a cell right now? Stop using that as an excuse."

"An excuse for what? It's the truth."

"It's so obvious: You're afraid of commitment. You're scared to let anyone into your bubble because you don't want anyone to know the real Dom. You don't want to start over with giving yourself to someone new. I know how that feels, I've been there."

Dom pulled her on his lap and looked into her eyes, "Elena, I care about you. You've been a damn good woman to me these past few years and I agree, I do owe you. But I can't give you what you want, at least not right now."

"You still love her," she whispered.

"I do. Just like you still love Pasquale," Dom spoke softly. He could see the pain in her eyes and he hated himself for putting it there, but he had to be honest with her. "I'm working on my issues. I'm trying to let go of the past, but it's not as easy for me."

Suddenly she was up and off his lap, "Well when you're done with her and you have the time for me, come let me know."

Before he had a chance to reply, Brian came jogging into the living room.

"Dom! I got Lucas's number. Don't ask me how; Detective Markham pulled some insane strings for this," he stopped short when he noticed Dom's bothered look. "Everything all right?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "Let's see if he knows anything about Leon," Dom took the slip of paper and stood from the sofa, leading Brian out onto the patio.

"Yeah, and you call me soft," Brian teased as he nodded towards Dom's garden.

"Brian, my flowers are tougher than you. And if you tell anyone outside of this loft about 'em, I'll bury you with them," Dom smiled as he dialed the number from his phone. He didn't get an answer the first time, so he tried again.

"_Hello?" _Dom could hear voices in the background but tried to focus solely on the man's voice.

"Am I speaking with Lucas Hernandez?"

"_Who's asking?" _The background voice was a little clearer now and it made it skin crawl. It had a familiarity to it but he couldn't pin where.

"I'm a friend of your brother's and I really need to find him. My name is Dominic Toretto."

At that, the line went dead. He looked at the phone in confusion, wondering what the hell that was about.

"He hung up on me."

"Try again. Your sister is going to kill us both if we don't find Leon."

* * *

"How you feeling, hot shot?" Letty asked from the driver seat of the Jetta to her now-awake passenger.

"Like I got shot," he groaned as he tried to sit up in his seat. "How far we have left to go?"

"According to the map, about ten miles from the border of Costa Rica. We finally made it."

Luke turned in his seat to see Julian happily smashing two action figures together.

"Hey Buddy," he greeted.

"Hi Papa," Julian replied without looking up. Luke's eyes shot to Letty, who only gave a shrug and a smile.

"When did that start?"

"Yesterday. For some wild reason he thinks you want to be his new daddy," she looked in the rear-view at her son, "Julian, what did I tell you? Luke isn't your Papa."

"Sowwy, I fowgot," he mumbled sadly.

"Just because I can't be your papa doesn't mean I can't be your best friend," this made Julian's eyes brighten up.

"Weally?"

"Weally," Luke repeated, earning him a slap from Letty.

The three drove to a fast food joint and decided for the drive-thru. When Luke's cell began ringing, he checked the number then seconds later ended the call. He didn't recognize the number and he wasn't taking the chance. But when it rang again, Letty spoke up.

"Answer that. Last time we almost missed Leon's warning."

He sighed and answered the phone as she made their order at the speakerbox. Once he heard the name of the caller, he quickly shut it. He wondered frantically how the mystery man got his number. It couldn't have been Leon because that's who he was looking for. He thought aimlessly of what he was going to do. He couldn't tell Letty – it would break her healing heart. She was already dead set on forgetting Dominic Toretto and he wasn't about to throw her back into the lion's cage. But then he turned to Julian, and knew the boy desperately needed his father's attention. Luke looked to Letty, who was joyfully taking the food from the window worker and gave a fake smile.

"Who was it?"

"I don't know," he lied, looking down at the phone. "Wrong number."

* * *

"Load up boys, we're riding out in fifteen," Leon said as he peeked his head in the guy's adjoining room. He walked back into his room, where Red was just pulling on her sneakers. She was quiet all morning and barely looked his direction. "You know, I'm a little thrown off by you. Before all of this started, you barely spoke two words to me. Last night you throw yourself at me, and now you won't even look at me."

"Leon, please," she started and moved to stand in front of him, "Last night was great, really. I just didn't sleep very well."

"You all right to drive? We can take another day if you need it," he offered, seeing the weariness in her eyes.

"No, Le, I'm fine. The faster we get to them, the faster we can all have a little vacation," the two left the room and the motel, stepping out into the bright sunlight. "So when did you plan on trying to reach Dom?"

Leon felt the ice running through his veins, "Dominic … his name is Dominic. And I was going to try to dig up his number through Vince."

"I wonder how ol' Coyote is doing. I heard Rosa was pregnant with his kid," James said shaking his head. "Never imagined him being the daddy type."

"Oh, Big V loves kids. He always talked about wanting a little hellion of his own terrorizing the world. I just can't believe a woman is willing to deal with him for another nine months," Leon laughed as he slid in his car and tried Vince's cell. An automated voice explained that the line was currently out of service, so he tried for Rosa's number.

"_Hello?"_

"Hey Rosa, it's Leon. Is V around?"

There was silence on the other line and he had to make sure the call was still connected before repeating his question.

"_Leon, where have you been? Vincent died two years ago,"_ her words stopped Leon's world completely.

"Wha – what? Vince is dead?" he repeated, still not believing the words. "I'm so sorry, babe. What happened, Rosa?"

"_I don't know the whole story; only that he was helping out Dominic and Mia-"_

"Wait, Dom and Mia, you know them? They were there, during the robberies?"

"_I don't know, Leon, I told you. I only know that he was shot. After his death, Dom left us his cut of the money. A little over ten million."_

"Have you heard from Dom or Mia since then?"

"_Dom calls once a week to check on Nico, Vince's son. He really loves the kid. Mia calls a lot too."_

"Rosa, this is very important. I need to find them both."

Leon wept softly for his friend as he jotted down the information that Rosa gave him, including numbers to reach both Torettos. He found out that Dom was the one in Japan, and Mia and O'Connor were living happily in Goa, India. He wanted to hit someone, something, to cause the pain he was currently feeling for Vince. He was starting to see a pattern and it was getting old to him. Any time Dom was involved in a job, one of his friends ended up dead. Was he next? Would it be a good idea to involve Dom in the Koenig trouble? He wasn't sure but he needed to find out what happened to Vince.

He deserved an explanation, and he was determined to get one. Face to face.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16- Kicking Ass and Taking Names**

Dominic was pleased to call it a day in the garage; they were unusually busy and he barely had time for a break all afternoon. He was exhausted from nonstop work and keeping Brian and Sean on separate ends of the garage. They teased and taunted each other until he couldn't take it anymore, sending Sean home for the day. That meant he had to pick up the extra work load, spending most of the day under tiny imports and the other half trying to get a hold of Leon through his brother, whom Dom made the quick assessment, was an asshole. The kid answered once and hung up on him and didn't bother answering again. He wasn't sure if he knew their history, but he could bet it had something to do with why he didn't want to talk.

"Dom, head's up man," Brian buzzed over to the Challenger as they reached the loft. Mia was standing outside with Brooklyn in her arms, staring horrified at opened garage. Dom followed her line of vision and saw red as Elena was backing the maroon Nissan into the garage. He slammed on his breaks halfway into the driveway and shoved open the door, his mind going crazy as he watched Elena exit the ride with a smile.

"I tried to stop her, Dom. She wouldn't listen to me," Mia tried to calm her brother, but he snatched his arm away from her and stormed towards his girlfriend.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he bellowed as he got in her face, backing her into the Nissan.

"I wanted to see what all the fuss was about with _this car_," she shrugged with a smug grin on her face.

"Nobody – and I do mean nobody – is to touch _this car_ but me. What the hell were you thinking?" Dom snatched the keys from her hand.

"I was thinking my boyfriend is more attached to this piece of shit car than he is to me!"

"Whoa, Elena, I think it's time to go inside," Brian tried to take her arm in his hand, but she shrugged him off.

"You watch your fucking mouth," Dom said deathly low. "This car means something to me. It's the only thing that I have left of…" he stopped before he said _her_ name. He hated saying her name.

"You can't even say it! Leticia! Letty! She's gone Dom, time to get over it!" In an instant Dom was standing ominously over her with his palm clutched over her mouth. His hand trembled and Elena could only stare at him in fear and shock. She could see his nostrils flaring and could tell Dom was trying hard to carefully choose what to do next.

"Shut. Up," his voice was low and shaky, "There seems to be a communication issue with us, so I'm going to settle it now. I don't speak about your husband unless you bring it up. I expect the same courtesy from you. You are never to say her name or touch that car again."

He backed away slowly and tried to relax, but the snooty look on her face made his skin crawl. He wanted to smash something, someone but instead decided to go for a drive. He turned towards his sleek black car and opened the door when she started talking again.

"Such a shame, Dom. Everyone else saw what a waste she was to this Earth except for you. She couldn't protect you, she could barely protect herself. Why is she so hard to let go?"

"Because she was all I had!" Dom roared, slamming the door close to the Challenger. "She was my best friend. When I threw away everyone else, Letty was all I had left and I fucked that up. I was supposed to protect her and I didn't and now she's in a grave. Sorry, but that's a little hard for me to let go."

"Brian, take Brooklyn inside," Mia said, handing over the sleeping child. She moved to stand in between her brother and Elena and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Letty was a huge part of our family, she still is. She and my brother have had history for well over a decade, so I don't know what makes you think you would have any standing over her. She may be dead, but none of us will ever forget about her. Not me, not Dominic. If you have a problem with that, you are more than welcome to leave."

Elena looked at Mia in shock, "I have a problem with my boyfriend, not you Mia."

"In case you forgot, this one belongs to me. If you have a problem with him or Letty, you can discuss it with me."

Dom tried hard to hold back his smile; Mia was never the confrontational type, but he knew she had that fiery Toretto edge that mimicked his and he loved seeing it. She was a sweet girl, but he knew she could hold her own.

"This doesn't concern you, Mia. I need him to choose – the dead girl or me," Elena said, looking straight past Mia and into Dom's eyes.

Before he could react, Mia threw a nasty punch that landed square on Elena's nose, dropping her on her ass before she knew what had hit her. He moved with an amused smile on his face over to lean on the hood of Letty's car, not caring to stop the beating Elena was taking. Mia stood over her and grabbed Elena's hair with both hands, repeatedly smashing her skull into the ground.

"Mia, enough," Dom spoke with no urgency.

"Holy shit! Dom, don't just stand there!" Brian said as he hurried down the stairs.

"Mia, I said enough!" Dom bellowed, which seemed to snap Mia out of her trance. She stood and backed away slowly, struggling for breath as she stared down at her prey, who was groaning and crying softly.

"What the hell happened, Mi? Are you crazy? Do you know what you just did?" Brian yelled as he took Mia's hands in his, blood covering her bruising knuckles.

"Explain it to her, Brian," Elena spoke as she kneeled on all-fours trying to regain her composure. "Explain to Mia that she just brutally assaulted an officer of the law. What a way to end the Toretto reign."

Mia realized then what she had done and tried to have a second go at Elena, thrashing around in Brian's arms trying to grab the Brazilian again. Elena smiled a bloody grin at the female Toretto and backed away only to bump into a rock solid immovable object.

"You need to leave. Now."

"Dom, don't do this. I'm sorry, to all of you. I shouldn't have said those things. Please," Elena's pleadings only further confirmed Dom's suspicion of her mental state. "I love you, Dom."

"I'm sorry, I don't love you. Elena, you need to leave. You don't belong here."

She looked at him with sad eyes but he looked away. He wouldn't let them change his mind – it had been made up for months.

"What about all my stuff? I'm not leaving it with that psychopath."

He pulled out his wallet and plucked a few bills from it, tossing it on the ground, "Buy more stuff. I want you off my property in 60 seconds," he turned his back and walked away from her but he wasn't completely satisfied.

"Do not think this is the last time that you'll see me, Toretto," she warned as she backed out of the garage, wiping the blood from her face. "This isn't over. We aren't over."

Dom stood watch until she was out of sight before heading inside. He found Brian doctoring on Mia's hands in the kitchen as she enjoyed a beer. Dom couldn't help but smile.

"You're picking up my bad habits, Mia," he smiled and retrieved a beer for himself and Brian.

"You shouldn't have let her do that, Dom. She just beat the shit out of a cop. You think Elena will be able to turn away and forget about it, because I don't," Brian griped as he wrapped a bandage around Mia's right hand. "Nothing is broken, but her knuckles are bruised and sore. You'll have to refrain from kicking ass for a few days."

"Oh, relax, Bri. That bitch deserved everything she just got. She's lucky Letty is dead, 'cuz she would've taken an even worse beating than that," Mia said with a smile. She didn't like to fight, but she couldn't stand listening to Elena any longer. She looked to her brother, who stood with a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm sorry Dom. I couldn't let her talk to you like that."

"It's OK. It's what Letty would've wanted," he joked, "But Brian is right. Elena has been a little off lately, so I don't think this will be swept under the rug."

"So now what? We can't run again, D. We have Brooklyn, she needs some stability," Brian's words shocked Dom.

"Well with that lunatic on the loose now, we can't take the chance of being somewhere Hobbs can find us. We're going to have to go, at least one more time."

"On one condition," Mia's voice surprised them both. She was usually the one trying to convince them to stop hopping borders and settle down.

"Shoot."

"We find Leon first. Then we go to another non-extradition country far away from here, for good. No more running, no more heists. No more racing."

Brian and Dom looked at each other, waiting for the other's reaction. Neither of them had any intention to stop racing, they needed that adrenaline. Dom knew Brian would oblige to quitting; he loved Mia and would do anything for her and Brooklyn. Dom didn't have that same advantage. He didn't have a dedicated woman to keep him grounded or a kid to survive for. Mia was Brian's family now, but who would he have to come home to? The casual chaser? Would he ever meet a woman who would win his heart the way his Letty had? He didn't know the answers to that, but he knew what Mia wanted to hear.

"Find Leon, one more country, no more trouble," he replied with sincerity.

"What about the racing?"

Dom tipped his beer back and in one swig he guzzled the beer down and gave his baby sister a Cheshire grin, "One thing at a time, Mi."

* * *

Luke wanted to toss his cell phone out the window as it rang uncontrollably for the past few hours. He never picked up again and he hoped the man would give it up. There was no way that he was talking to the man who has caused the people in his life so much hell. He wanted nothing more than to shove his foot up Dominic Toretto's ass, but he wasn't going to put Letty through the stress of reliving that pain.

"All right, looks like we're here," Letty said as she pulled the Jetta into the driveway of a mocha-colored shack that was hidden down a secluded dirt road. The home wasn't pleasant on the eyes, at least not from the outside. Trees were growing haphazardly around the house and the grass was a nice brown color. It was off the main road, though, and thankfully away from any humanity. "Whose place is this?"

"Leon's. He uses it as a safe house," Luke said as he stretched the best he could with his wound and stepped out of the car. "Leon says they are about an hour or two out, so if you want to get a nap that's fine."

She nodded and unbuckled Julian from the back seat, grabbing their bags and walking to the door. Luke retrieved the spare key from under the Nissan Skyline welcoming mat and pushed open the doors, revealing beautiful blue décor on the inside. Letty smiled as she stepped inside, taking in the familiar scent of his Calvin Klein cologne. Memories of her childhood with him flooded her mind as she took in the photos that lined the walls – each of the Team during their happier days.

"Make yourself at home. There are several bedrooms in the back, some downstairs. I'm in the one at the end of the hall. I'm gonna take a few of these and pass out," he said as he held up pill bottle on his way down the hall.

She carried Julian through the house looking at the pictures, grinning when he would recognize _Papa_ with an infectious smile. Letty peeked in each room until she found Leon's. She was sure it was his from the sneakers and jerseys sprawled out on the bed. He never could keep his room clean back home. Letty sat Julian down and began picking up the clothes, hanging them back in the closet and fixing the shoes against the wall until the floor was clear enough for Julian to play. She crawled into the bed and was instantly hit with Leon's scent – Calvin Klein, Corona, and shampoo. For some reason, Letty felt at home breathing the familiar aroma of him. It made her body relax and curl into the blankets, drifting off into a calm slumber.

She was unaware that she had crashed in Leon's bed, but didn't complain about resting in a comfy bed after their long trip. She smiled when she noticed her boy too had passed out on the floor. She left the room and made her way to the fridge and decided to whip up a few sandwiches with the little food they brought on the way for Julian and Luke. Letty was finishing up when she decided on a cold beer. Looking for a bottle opener, she opened a drawer to be faced with a small packet of white powder. Examining the baggie, she realized that it wasn't sugar and shook her head disappointedly. This explained Alvaro's comment about Leon's drug habit and was a possible link to the trouble he was in now. She could only sigh in frustration. None of the Team had been involved in drugs. Aside from the occasional joint or bong Jesse brought home, they kept their noses clean and stayed away from the heavy stuff, but this - Leon's new hobby - was a lot more serious.

Letty searched the over the kitchen for more stash spots, her heart tearing a little more with each little white bag she found hidden in cookie jars, Tupperware bowls, and boxes of food. She was so devastated by her findings that she didn't hear the engines revving outside. When she saw the gravel and dirt being kicked up outside, she moved to the window, peeking out carefully at the slew of cars lining the building. Letty quickly retrieved her gun and stood next to the door. She didn't know the group of misfits walking to the door but she wasn't taking any chances. When the door pushed open, she grabbed the first body through and slammed him up against a nearby wall, holding the gun to his throat.

"Who are you?!"

"What the hell are you doing? Leo, call off your guard dog," James growled as he stood scarily still, watching the woman's face closely. He didn't want to set her off into pulling that trigger.

Letty hesitantly lowered her weapon and moved out the door, hurrying to find him. She ignored the stares from his friends and the once-over from the lone woman of the crew and hurried to the last car pulling in – a bright yellow Supra. Her breath hitched when she saw the shell of a man she used to know. This wasn't her Leon; this man was skinny and fragile with dark bags under his eyes and more tattoos covering his body. His eyes weren't the exuberant green they once were, but pale and sad. Letty had never seen Leon appear so vulnerable.

He looked lost and scared.

"Babygirl, you have no idea how-" Leon approached with open arms, but she stopped him with a hard right cross. When someone grabbed her from behind she swiveled and gave them a hard shove. Letty realized it was the woman, and she looked pissed.

"Don't ever touch me," Letty snarled nastily. Red nodded and stood, dusting her clothes free from dirt.

"Letty, what's wrong chica?" Leon asked while rubbing his sore jaw. He almost regretted teaching her how to throw a solid punch.

"This," she tossed the handful of packets at his chest. "You're fucking with that shit, Leon? I guess things really have changed," she turned to his friends, taking the time to look each up and down with serious distaste. "What, your replacement crew get you hooked? Was it the white boy? He looks like he's had his share ski trips."

"Hey fuck you, lady!" James replied.

"Letty-" Leon tried again to calm Letty by grabbing her arm, but she snatched it out of his reach.

"Or maybe it was the skirt," Letty moved to stand nearly nose-to-nose with Red, who only returned a smirk. "She's cute, Le. Did the pussy come with the complimentary coke?"

"You're barking up the wrong tree, honey," Red warned, never losing her grin or breaking eye-contact. She admired the set of steel balls Letty had attached to her.

"Lett, I'm gonna take care of Alvaro. He won't come near you again."

"You think this is about him? You left me! You abandoned me just like that bastard did! How could you, Le?" her voice cracked as she yelled in his face, tears pooling on her lids. Neither noticed Luke joining the audience.

"Letty, baby, I'm so sorry. But I couldn't go to jail. I couldn't watch you toss yourself to the cops like Dom was trying to. I wanted to take you away from that, but I knew you wouldn't leave him."

"Oh come off it, Leon! You knew what we were doing and you were all for making some easy cash. You left because you were feeling guilty! You didn't wanna move on without Jesse and Vince."

Leon stepped in her face and his scowl showed his growing anger.

"Guys, let's come inside and chill out," Luke tried to diffuse the situation before to escalated.

"Shut up, Luke!" Letty and Leon both shouted to the door.

"I've carried that guilt with me every day of my fucking life since. No, I didn't wanna move on without them, and now I don't have a choice," his voice grew somber. "I'll never be able to ride with them again, or shit on Jesse about the women he brought home. I won't be able to look across my garage and see two of the best friends I ever had because of what we've done. And your man put them in those graves, so think about that before you go all holier than thou on someone."

Leon pushed past her and was almost to the door when she found her voice again.

"You talk like Vince is dead. He didn't die on that truck, Leon. I looked for V forever. He's probably hiding out with some bitch."

"Vince is dead, Letty. He died in Rio because of some bitch named Dominic Toretto," he turned to see the shock on her face. It was obvious that she wasn't aware of yet another casualty among their friends. "He had a girlfriend, Rosa. They had a son, Nico."

Letty didn't care about anyone seeing her cry. She couldn't move out of the spot her feet were firmly planted in. She could feel her heart shattering into pieces, each one slicing her insides as she began to bawl for Vince. She never thought in a million years that Vince would die, as silly as it sounded. He was always the tough one; quick to throw fists and show his ass to anyone who came near his family. He had survived car crashes, shoot-outs with gangbangers, and even infamously hanging by his arm from a speeding semi and being shot. And somehow, being with Dom again, he was gone. Just like that, another brother taken from her too soon.

"Come on inside, chica. Let's have a few beers and catch up," Leon returned by her side, tossing his arm over her shoulder and leading her into the house.


	17. Chapter 17

**Thanks for all the amazing reviews. It makes my day, considering I have no life other than writing fanfiction all day LOL. It's good to see people still reading even though it's taking forever to get everyone together again. I tend to be very detailed, which leads to long chapters and slightly drawn-out situations, but I think it's worth it. I promise more good stuff is on the way.**

**P.S- I know there are a lot of questions about Red and her suspicious behavior. They will be answered when the crew lands in Germany, which will be in chapter 19.**

_**Chapter 17-Catching Up**_

As Leon led Letty into his home, he noticed that his team had already dispersed to find rooms. He guided her to a stool in the kitchen and sat another cold beer in front of her before excusing himself for a moment. He wanted to unload his things and kick off his shoes, but when he entered the room he came to a halt.

"Uh, Lett, there is a small creature in my bed … and it's giving me the evil eye," Letty snapped out of her trance when she remembered Julian was still asleep in Leon's room. She hurried to the room to find Julian staring intensely at Leon with a scowl that rivaled her own. "Does he blink?" Leon whispered as he maintained eye-contact with the young boy.

"Ju-Ju, cut it out," Letty said and the child seemed to light up at his mother's voice. His death glare turned into a bright smile as she came to join him on the bed.

"Where you go, Mama?"

"I was just talking to some friends. Come on, I want you to meet someone," she scooped the boy up and carried him to the door, where Leon hadn't budged an inch. He was frozen from shock; he never anticipated seeing Leticia Ortiz carrying a kid around, much less her own offspring. It was weird to him. "Leon, this is Julian Michael Ortiz."

"Hey little guy," he said with a smile. The kid was a cute as a button with his thick curly hair and light eyes. "Do you know who I am?"

Julian nodded shyly, "Uncie Le-Le."

Leon's heart melted at the boy's nickname for him.

"I showed him the pictures of the Team that were hanging up. He loved Uncie Le-Le's 'yewwow' car," she watched the way Leon stared at the boy in adoration and couldn't help the pride she felt. "Wanna hold him?"

He nodded with a watery smile and took Julian from her arms, cradling him close. He smelled like a baby and Leon loved it. He moved to the bed and took a seat, never letting go of Julian's tiny hand inside of his own.

"Jeez, Lett. He's beautiful. Looks just like his Momma," he smiled up at her. "Is he…?"

"Of course, Le. I'm not a slut. I found out a few months before I ended up dead. Right after he left."

"So he's clueless?" She nodded and sighed. She was tired of going over this. "Good. Bastard doesn't deserve to have something so precious. It'll just be another thing for him to destroy."

"Come on, let me show you what I did," Letty said and directed him back out of the house. She walked around the side of the home and pulled the gray tarp off of the Jetta, looking back at Leon with a hopeful smile. He didn't speak, but stood staring stunned at the Jetta, tears streaking down his face faster than he could control. He never expected to see the Jetta again, let alone in pristine condition. It brought back good memories that Leon forced himself to forget. They were always too painful to think about, but now all he felt was bliss.

"It looks awesome, girl," he finally managed through his shaky voice. "The Kid would love this."

"She drives like a gem, too," Luke's voice from behind caught their attention. Leon turned to see the taller Hernandez. He looked beat-up and worn-down, but otherwise healthy. "What's up, Bro?"

Leon pulled his brother in for a hug, his shoulders shaking softly as he wept.

"Quit crying, you pussy. I'm fine," Luke rolled his eyes. No matter how tough Leon pretended to be, he was always a crier and Luke made sure to always give him shit for it.

"Thank God you're alright, Lucas. I was worried, man."

"You can thank her for that. She's an amazing woman," Luke's words made Letty blush and she quickly grabbed Julian and bolted for the house. Letty knew they needed time to talk and she had a feeling the conversation would be about her, so she made herself scarce. Leon noted her quick departure and turned to Luke with narrowed eyes.

"Tell me you didn't, Luke."

"OK … I didn't," Luke grinned. "Come on, man. She's great. She just needed some support."

"You don't support people with your _lovestick_, asshole," Leon protested with a groan, "What about Dom? She told you about Dom right? Her lover of over eight years."

"The one who abandoned her in the Dominican Republic six months after you did? Yeah, I know all about the shithead. I've been meaning to tell you, he's been contacting me."

Leon's body froze, "How? As far as I know, Dom didn't even know you existed before today."

"He somehow got my number, said he was looking for you. I hung up on him, never answered again. I don't like the prick, to be honest," said Luke as he and Leon started back towards the house.

"You're not the only one. Does Letty know?"

"I was scared to tell her. She's been so headstrong about letting him go; I thought it would just push her back into the trenches. What does he want?"

"I don't know, but you did the right thing. For now, we keep this between us. I was going to call Dom when we got to Germany, see if he can help me out. But I'm gonna warn you now – Letty isn't keen on secrets and when she finds out that we've been in contact with her missing ex-boyfriend, we both will be on her shit-list."

The two stepped inside the home, where Jerry, Rob, Carlos were planted in front of the TV, screaming at the video game they were playing. James and Red were taking shots in the kitchen and Letty and Julian were nowhere to be found. Leon left Luke and made his way to his room, where Letty was undressing Julian. He watched in amazement from the door as she tugged a pull-up on his body and dressed him in race-car PJs.

"Is he house-broken?" Leon asked with a small smile.

"He's not a dog, asswipe. But, we're working on the potty training. I haven't had much time or money to do much, but he's extremely smart so that makes it easier on me. He always wants to help out, to be a big boy," she said tickling his tummy. He let out an adorable chuckle and Leon felt his heart melting again. He was already falling in love with the little boy who looked so much like his mother.

Then he thought about Dom. Julian was the perfect mixture of Dom and Letty, with Dom's button nose and wide smile and his mother's full lips. It would be hard for him to keep Julian a secret to his own father. He deserved to know that he had a child, but it wasn't his place to tell Dom either.

"I never pictured myself having a kid," Letty started, never taking her eyes off her son. "I always thought I'd be Aunt Letty to Mia's kids. Never in a million years did I see myself being a single mother to a two and a half year old angel. I was so scared when I found out I was pregnant."

"How did you find out?"

"A few weeks after Dom left, I worked with O'Connor and the FBI on an undercover case. If I helped bring down a drug lord, they'd clear Dom's records and he could come home. It turned out to be a suicide job and I ran before they could kill me, like they killed the others. The second in command, a real freakin' prick named Felix, ran me off the road and I flipped my car. I could smell the gas and nitro-meth-"

"Whoa, what are you doing running nitro-meth?! You know we don't ride like that," he scolded her.

"Neither do I, idiot. Someone tampered with my car. I knew I had to get out before it blew, but my legs were stuck. I saw him coming towards the car with a gun, so I pretended to be dead. He fired one single shot, hit me the chest," Letty swallowed the growing lump in her throat and stood to show Leon the scar just below her left shoulder. She took a deep breath and continued, "Luckily I got my mom's skinny legs and I was able to shimmy out. Hitch-hiked a ride to a hospital out of town. Fortunately that pendejo had a shaky hand, barely missed my lung. The next morning the nurse told me that I was two months pregnant. I guess you could say the bastard left me a parting gift."

Leon couldn't stand to see the tears in her eyes, so he looked away. He looked at the little boy who was smashing cars together and smiled. "He's the most perfect mistake Dom ever made."

Letty smiled warmly, looking over her shoulder at her baby, "I was so mad at Dom. So pissed that I couldn't find him anywhere to tell him that we were about to have a kid. I wanted to hate myself for needing him, for praying that he would come back and help me. I didn't know how to be a mother. I didn't want anything to do with a kid. But the more I felt him kick, and move and grow, the more attached I was. Finally, when he was born, and I heard his cries and held him for the first time, I knew I could do nothing more than love him. He became my everything. I was ready to give up and he kept me going. I had to live, for him. He needed me."

Leon could see the adoration in her eyes – it was obvious she loved her son more than anything.

"Hey little man, you hungry? I was gonna whip up some quesadillas for the guys," Letty smiled and gathered the young boy.

"So, you wanna tell me why we've been chased for three days straight by badly-dressed Germans?" Letty asked Leon as they joined the others gathered in the kitchen.

"I won a badass car, Porsche Carerra GT in a slips race a few months back. Guy tried to bail after the race, but I spotted him on the street later that night and forcibly removed him from my vehicle. Come to find out, the car belongs to Alvaro Koenig."

"And just who is this Alvaro?" Letty asked with a quirked brow.

"His family runs one of the biggest drug syndicates in Europe," James started, "His grandfather, Arnold Koenig, was one of the first guys to start heavily pushing meth across Norway and Germany in the early seventies. Cops always had an eye on this group, but with the kind of money they had, they could afford to put every cop and detective on their payroll."

"These dudes are straight up gangsters. Rumored to be responsible for over hundred deaths, forty bank robberies, and the hard use of meth across most of Europe. Anytime they landed in court, witnesses started coming up missing," Jerry filled in.

"And you decided to take his car? Leon, I didn't think you were as dumb as you looked," Letty teased.

"Yeah, well I didn't know it was his car," he reasoned.

"So give it back to him."

"Oh, Letty you're going to love this," James laughed as he took another shot. He slammed his glass down on the table and looked at Leon. "Go ahead and tell her, Leo."

"Tell her what?" Letty repeatedly, looking nervously at her friend.

"I found a bag of meth while checking under the hood. When I stripped it down, I realized the entire car was stashing over twenty pounds in crystal meth. 500 thousand dollars worth. I sold it."

"And what did you do with the money?" Luke spoke up.

"Most of it went into equipment we needed for the garage, keeping up the mortgage on the shop and parts for our cars."

"That doesn't sound like 500 thousand dollars, Leon," Letty's suspicions grew. "Maybe two-three hundred tops. "Where is the money?"

Now the entire group was watching Leon with scrutiny. "Used the rest to pay off our coke connects and re-up our stash."

Leon could see the shame in Letty's eyes and forced himself to look away. He didn't like her looking at him like some drug-addicted punk. He didn't like seeing the disappointment in her gaze.

"I guess I can't be too mad," Leon sighed with relief after hearing her words. When she moved close to his face, he could sense her silent rage, "But whatever you plan on doing better not backfire on me or my child, Leon, or I swear to God you'll be eating through a straw for the rest of your life. Got it?"

Leon swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded fearfully.

"Damn, Leon," James cracked a wide smile. "Julian, you might need to save some of those diapers for Uncle Leon. As long as Mommy's around, that guy is gonna be shitting his pants."

* * *

"Oh, come on Carlos! That's why you don't get the starting spot. You keep letting James beat you off the line!"

Leon hollered from the lawn where the crew had set up a bonfire, lawn chairs, and coolers of beer to enjoy a few exhibition races between the members of the group. Letty was snuggled next to Luke near the fire with Julian on her lap. He was laughing as he watched Luke holding a roasting marshmallow in the fire and Letty was cheering on the racers happily. The volatile atmosphere had been replaced to a relaxed one and everyone seemed to get along great. During dinner, Leon properly introduced Letty to the rest of his team and took special notice of her interaction with Red. If anyone could make out a shady bitch, it'd be her. She seemed a little put-off but at least pretended to be friendly. She didn't detect Red's sultry glares, but Leon did.

After dinner, James challenged Carlos to a friendly race on the small dirt stretch in front of the home and everyone was thankful that they were in a secluded area. They could be as loud and as rowdy as they wanted without being a bother to any of the locals. Even with the pending danger surrounding them, Leon was happy to have his family together.

"That's fucked up, ese. I wasn't ready!" Carlos replied teasingly as he slapped four hundred dollars in James' waiting hand.

"Excuses, excuses," James joked, "Who's next?"

"Letty, I think it's time to prove your worth," Red's voice silenced the bunch. All eyes turned to the Latina, who looked at Red with questioning eyes. "And I say that with the utmost respect, of course."

"Nah, I think I'll pass," Letty declined, searching Red's face for mischief. She didn't trust the woman at all, but she was giving her the benefit of the doubt for Leon's sake. But calling her out in front of everyone meant she had a pair of balls on her.

"Oh, come on. I know this has got to be lighting a spark in you. I mean you said yourself that you haven't put the pedal to the metal in a long time. What do you say you and I have a little fun, hm?" She raised an eyebrow and licked the corner of her mouth, receiving a wide grin from Letty. Letty handed Julian over to Luke and stood from her chair stretching her limbs wide.

"Red, if I didn't know any better, I would swear you were hitting on me," Letty smirked as approached Red near her Ford. The two stood inches from each other, neither breaking eye contact as they sized the other up. "How much? I'm not a cheap date, you know."

"Trust me; I'm sure you're worth every penny," Red's eyes lit up ablaze as Letty played into her game. _Strictly dickly my ass_, she thought to herself. "Five hundred."

"If they start making out, I'm breaking out my camera," James whispered to Leon, who gave him a playful slap to the gut.

"Letty," Leon called out to her, but she didn't respond. "Show her why you were the queen of L.A."

Letty could've sworn she saw a flash of fear in the taller woman's eyes but it was quickly gone and replaced by a cocky stare. She stepped to the side and held her arm out, "After you."

"Look guys, chivalry isn't dead at all," she said sarcastically as she moved to the Jetta and slid in. She quickly pulled the car around to the starting line and waited for her competitor. She fixed all the gadgets and turned on the NOS – though she didn't think she'd need it – and blasted one of Jesse's favorite CD's _ReLoad_ by Metallica. She turned to their shared favorite song "Better Than You" and cranked the volume up full blast.

Letty looked up when she heard a wrap at the window. It was Leon, "Come to give me a good luck kiss?"

"Hardy har," he replied, "Visualize the win, Lett. Seriously girl, Red is good."

"But I'm better. Now run along and let the big boys play," she smiled wide and rolled the window up, readying herself for the race.

Leon moved to stand in between the cars to help with the countdown. He raised his hands and the girls reacted by revving their engines.

"Three."

Letty griped the wheel tight as she shook off her nerves. She might have been rusty, but she was no amateur.

"Two."

Red looked over at Letty and gave a nod and a wink, to which Letty could only smile and turn away. She didn't know how the stick got shoved so far up Red's ass, but she was determined to ram it even further with this win.

"One."

Letty clutched the shifter tight and hummed her lucky phrase: _Dum vita est spes es_ while watching Leon's arms closely. As soon as they dropped, both cars sped off the line and down the deserted road. The partiers crowded in the middle of the road to watch the taillights of both cars flying down the path.

"You think Letty will win?" Luke asked Leon curiously.

"If she doesn't, then she has to be seriously ill."


	18. Chapter 18

_**Chapter 18-Free Falling**_

Letty clutched the gear-shift tight and hummed her lucky phrase: _Dum vita est spes es_ while watching Leon's arms closely. As soon as they dropped, both cars sped off the line and down the deserted road with Red easily taking the lead over the Jetta. Letty didn't panic, she knew she would be a little rusty her first time back on the tarmac. She also had to get use to driving Jesse's car for the first time. The handling was much different than her Nissan.

Letty could feel her heart racing as the Jetta pushed to catch up to the Ford. The adrenaline ran like ecstasy through her veins as she willed the car further, evening her front bumper with Red's. Letty chanced a glance over at her competition and was happy to see Red sweating. Letty shifted gears with great precision and soon took the lead. The dirt road was dark and Letty was thankful she replaced the headlights because they were reaching the end of the strip. She used her lead to her advantage and quickly ripped the e-brake, spinning the Jetta around just before it was destined to fly off the boat deck and into the waiting waters below. She punched the gas and started back towards the house. Letty wore a shit-eating grin on her face as she saw Red speeding down the opposite lane, still trying to recover and close the gap between them. When the muscle car swerved in her lane, headlights shining in Letty's eyes, she looked for anywhere to turn out of the path, but it was no use. On her right was the river and the left lane wasn't much wider.

"All right, bitch! Let's play," Letty grumbled with a smile, sitting up and gripping the wheel tighter as the distance closed quickly between the two cars.

"What the hell is Red doing?" Luke screamed as they all watched the blood-red Talladega heading head-on towards the Jetta. He covered Julian's eyes, not wanting the boy to see his mother's pending fate.

"Relax, bro. Letty knows what she's doing," Leon said but he wasn't so sure himself.

Red smiled cynically as she tested the spunky Latina's heart. She wanted to see if she had the skills to back up that big mouth of hers. Red could see Letty's face and if she was scared, she was doing a great job of hiding it. The crazy bitch was _smiling_!

"She ain't wrapped too tight," Red muttered to herself. Her rate picked up when she noticed that they were only a few feet away and if they wanted to live, someone was going to have to move. Now.

Letty heard a ringing noise that signaled that the NOS was ready for use and she hovered her thumbs over the red buttons. Just as the other car was ready to slam into hers, Red made the choice to save them both and she turned the wheel drastically in the opposite direction. Letty cheered and pressed both buttons, sending the car into hyper-speed. Letty laughed as she managed to keep control of the car as it sped down the battered road at 150 miles per hour. When it slowed to a speed that was easier to handle she lifted her middle finger proudly in her rear-view, hoping that Red got a good look at her second-place prize.

Letty felt a great sense of pride roll over her as she crossed the starting line first. That extra five-hundred dollars would come in handy.

"What the fuck was that?" Luke whispered as she slid out the car with a cheeky smile.

"Oh relax, loverboy," she reached up on her tip-toes and placed a kiss on his lips and ruffled Julian's hair affectionately. She turned to see Red approaching slowly with her car. She wore a fake grin and avoided eye-contact with Letty as she slid out the front seat. "All pussies show their claws when they feel threatened."

"You got something to say to me, chicana?" Red asked as she stepped into Letty's face.

"I think I just said all I had to," she replied, holding up the stack of cash in Red's face.

Red gritted her teeth to keep her anger under control. As much as she would've loved to wipe that cocky smirk off Letty's face, she had to pretend to be cordial at least until they made it to Germany. But she promised herself that when she had Dominic Toretto in her grasps, she would show Letty who the real pussy was.

"Alright ladies, let's take it easy," Leon stepped in between the girls before things got out of hand. "Guys, pack it in. Get all the beauty rest you can. Our cars need to be dropped off at the docks at six AM and our flight leaves at eight."

* * *

_**Newport News, Virginia**_

"Special Agent Hobbs," the grumpy DSS agent answered the work line, never taking his eyes off the hellacious amount of paperwork he was doing. He didn't mind collaring a perp, it was what he did best. He just hated all the damn paperwork that came after.

"_Dominic Toretto, Mia Toretto and the ex-cop are in Japan. Just received credible Intel, thought I'd pass it along."_

"Well, that's mighty nice of you. What exactly prompted this little call?"

"_Let's just say I've been screwed by Toretto and his crew too many times. But I do need one thing from you."_

"Anything for you."

"_When you catch him, fry the bastard."_

At that, the line went dead. He looked at the phone, a little stunned, and then placed it back on its receiver. He wasn't surprised by her call, but he was happy that she was finally playing along with the law. He picked the phone up and dialed down to his new squad's house, where most of the special agents were catching up on much-needed sleep.

"Wake your asses up, newbies! Pack up and get ready because we're taking Toretto down in Japan at 0700 hours!"

* * *

Letty finally turned her glare to Leon, "What flight? We don't have passports. There is no way we can get on a flight without someone recognizing us."

"That's where Jerry and Rob come in," Letty excused herself to put Julian down for bed and left Leon and James alone on the porch.

"Le, have you read these yet?" James asked as he dropped the stack of papers on Leon's lap.

"I haven't had a chance to look at them yet," Leon frowned. "You think something in here will tell us what her deal is? I mean that little stunt she pulled was out of line, even for her."

"I dunno. That night in Panama, I caught her in her car at four in the morning reading over all of it. She was on the phone with someone. She's up to something, Leon," he noticed the look of indignation on Leon's face, "Leo, how did she get the papers? If having Jerry check her out was supposed to be a secret, why did she have them?"

"She looked so good in those short-shorts," James groaned, already knowing where this was headed, "She practically jumped on me, man. I lost focus."

"You are beyond idiotic. How did she get the papers, Nardo?" he repeated.

"She must've got them out of my bag after I fell asleep. How could I have been so stupid?"

"You're so gullible when it comes to women. If she was a lesbian, why else would she sleep with you, moron?"

Leon ignored James and began rifling through the paperwork, "Real name Audrina Redgrave, born in the Caribbean Islands, raised in the Bronx, New York. She spent eight months in a juvenile facility for breaking and entering, misdemeanor theft charge, and marijuana possession when she was sixteen. Her record was expunged after completing ten months of rehab treatment and replacing the jewelry stolen from the house, not to mention a hundred hours of community service."

"So she's clean? I mean, a little grimy, but clean."

"Not quite," Leon continued, "Says here that she went out for the police academy at age nineteen after her record was cleared and was accepted into the NYPD, but she went AWOL after her brother was killed in a L.A. prison two years later. She has been considered a missing person in the United States."

"Holy fuck. So she's still a cop?"

"No, her badge was found in her apartment three days later. Her authority was stripped. She's wanted for questioning in the disappearance of her service gun."

"Yeah, well I got some questions for her of my own," James growled but the menacing look from Leon forced his anger away, "Yeah, I know … you'll handle it. I'm going to bed."

As James was walking inside, he said a goodnight to Letty as she passed by. She took in Leon as he tried to frantically hide the papers on his lap. She frowned and quickly ripped the papers from his hands and held them out of reach.

"Whatcha reading?" she asked while scanning over the documents.

"Uhm, nothing important," he fumbled, "Just some new prospective specs for the Supra."

"Specs my ass," she scoffed, "You guys are checking out the skirt?"

"Yeah, she's been acting really off lately."

"Oh, you mean she isn't always this pleasant?" Letty smirked sarcastically. "NYPD? What kind of mess did you get yourself into?"

"A big one, but I didn't know until now. We picked her up at our garage two years ago. She was cool – albeit a bit bitchy – but a good mechanic. You know, she reminded me a lot of you," he teased; he knew she hated being compared to other female racers.

"Oh, please. At least I'd know what to do behind the wheel of that beast she's driving," Letty mumbled and went back to reading.

Leon chuckled, "She started acting weird when the other day when I mentioned-" he caught himself and stopped. "Nevermind, it's not important. I got it handled. You should really head to bed."

"I'll sleep on the flight. Now explain to me where we are going and how we plan on boarding a plane?" she handed him the papers as the subject changed and he let a relieved sigh. He didn't need her seeing the _other_ discoveries.

"I put Jerry and Carlos to work. Got everyone fake IDs and passports," he reached into his pocket and retrieved two – one for her and Julian.

"From now on, you are Arletta Diaz, mother of cute little Julian Diaz."

Letty looked over the passports, amazed at how authentic they appeared. There was no way people would question them about it.

"Where to?" Letty asked again.

"Germany. When my dad died, he left the kid all the money and left me his four estates. We're gonna use his place in Munich as a safe house."

"Not to be nosey, but just how much is Lucas worth now?" she had been dying to know just how cushioned her new boy-toy's pockets were.

"Roughly forty million left."

Letty's jaw hung slack, astonished at the amount. She could tell by the bitter look on Leon's face that he wasn't happy about it, though.

"Why didn't you get any of that? That's more than enough to split up between the two of you."

"My dad was a generous, kind man, but he held grudges longer than anyone I've ever known. He hated me for years because my mom left him. Because she didn't turn her back on me. It took him a long time to get over that. He never did, though. Took that hatred to the grave with him," Leon didn't care about the tears falling from his eyes. He also didn't flinch when Letty reached up and wiped his tears away. "I went home for his funeral only because my brother begged me to be there. They executed the requests of his will the next day. He left his vacation homes for me, his off-shore accounts to mom, and the rest of the fortune to Luke."

Letty didn't know what to say to comfort her friend, that hadn't been one of her specialties. Instead, she linked her fingers with his and gave his hand a consoling squeeze that let him know that she was there for him. The friends spent another hour like that, holding hands while talking about all the obstacles they had faced while the Team was separated. She reprimanded him for his drug use and gave him an ultimatum: kick the coke habit or she would disappear again, this time for good. He agreed without argument to flush every stash he had and even offered to enter rehab when all the raucous was over.

It was well past one a.m. and the chill forced them inside for the night. Most of the house was quiet, except for the soft sounds of an acoustic guitar strumming at the end of the hallway. Following the sound of the music, Letty pushed open the door quietly to find Luke sitting up in bed, guitar on his lap and Julian between his legs fast asleep. He didn't notice her standing there, so she pulled out her cell and snapped the picture, smiling at the cute photo.

"Hey you," he smiled and stopped strumming when he finally looked up.

"Hey. Don't stop on my account," she said as she crawled to the other side of the bed and snuggled next to him. "I didn't know you played."

"It's been a while. He lit up when he saw it, so I thought I'd play a few lullabies for him. Passed right out," he smiled at her and continued plucking at the strings, the smooth symphonies filling the room and, for a moment, giving the entire house peace. Eventually, Letty allowed the music to will her to sleep, finally feeling serene now that she had a member of her family back.

That was how Leon found them the next morning, Luke sitting up with the guitar still in his lap and Letty and Julian sleeping soundly around him. He had to admit, Letty seemed happy with his brother, even if he didn't know the extent of their relationship. His brother was a good guy, one who made an effort to make relationships work. He had his share of skanks and chasers as did any other street racer, but he was more into commitment, unlike Leon. He knew Luke wouldn't hurt the Latina purposely, not like she couldn't take care of herself.

Leon was more worried about the fallout that was guaranteed to come once he got in touch with Dom. He would have to tell him about Letty, there was no other option. Once Dom knew, he would tear apart the globe to get her back, which posed problems for Luke. Leon didn't want his only brother to taste the wrath of the dangerous fugitive and wondered if there was some way he could talk him into ending things with Letty. As much as he loved seeing them both happy, _Dominic_ was her soulmate, not to mention the father of her kid. He needed to be back with her, and to be with his son. Their story hadn't ended, but the book had been torn and ripped to shreds thanks to Dom's games. Leon had to find a way to put that love novel back together before it was too late.

"You are the weirdest fucker. You make it a habit of watching people sleep?" Letty's gravelly voice brought Leon out of his thoughts.

"Shut up. I was coming to wake you guys. Carlos is making breakfast and we're leaving in an hour."

Letty grunted and waived him off as she stood from the bed and made her way to the bathroom next door. After relieving herself and washing her face, she hurried back to the bathroom as she heard Luke's phone ringing loudly once again. She didn't want it to wake Julian so she rushed to stop the nuisance, hitting the END button to silence the ringing. After a few seconds it beeped to notify of a voice-mail and she decided to see who would calling at such a ridiculous time, especially if Leon was in the same house.

"_**Hey, Lucas. I wasn't trying to freak you out earlier. I'm not sure what the deal is, but I can guarantee you no one is in any type of trouble. I just really need to get ahold of Leon to talk. Please, it's urgent. Have him call me back at this number, please. Thanks."**_

The phone slipped from her fingers before she could stop it, crashing to the floor with a thud. She couldn't stop the world from spiraling at rapid speed as the message replayed over and over in her mind. Letty knew that voice; she heard it all her life, in her brain torturing her for years. That unmistakable voice. She suddenly felt the quesadillas from the night before and rushed to the toilet before soiling Leon's pretty carpet. Letty didn't move away from the bowl until her dry heaving was done, and hurriedly washed the grime from her mouth. She moved, like a zombie, slowly back towards the room and listened as the phone rang again. She stood at the door afraid to go in, like the voice on the phone would be able to see her. Letty stared down at the device on the floor as it continued to sing, her heart torn with what to do now. If she answered that phone, every nightmare that she had finally rid herself of would be back … all the pain she felt would no longer loom at bay, but attack her full throttle. If she answered the phone, her life would change all over again and any sense of normality that she developed while with Luke and Julian would be destroyed.

But then she looked at the little boy in the bed, who looked so much like the caller and knew what she had to do. She tip-toed into the room and with a trembling hand, picked the phone up. She ran a shaky hand through her hair and pinched the bridge of her nose hard to fight off an imminent headache. Taking a deep breath, she finally swiped her thumb across the screen and held the phone to her ear.

"Hola?" her throat was scratchy and it made her voice harsher than usual.

"_Thank God you answered. Please don't hang up again, just listen_," Letty's vision blurred as tears began to pour down her face as she listened to the one voice she'd been dying to hear for two long years. She cupped her hand over her mouth to hold back her cries and just listened. His voice was everything she remembered; hoarse and raspy, deep from the soul. Her chest ached agonizingly; his baritone voice always had its effects on her body. She clinched her hand into a fist to try to minimize it's trembling, but it didn't help. Letty's body slid down the door frame as her knees finally bucked. Her entire body felt as if it were in a free-fall from the Empire State building. When she finally crashed to the ground, all sense of normality and routine would be out of the window. _"So do you know where I can find Leon?"_


	19. Chapter 19

**Lengthy chapter to reward you awesome folks for reviewing. Keep 'em coming!**

**Chapter 19 Pt. I-Off to Germany**

Dom wrapped a towel around his waist tightly after stepping out of the steamy shower, thankful to be rid of the remnants of dirt and oil from the shop from the night before. Clearing the foggy mirror, he was faced with a scruffy, unruly beard and he had a thin sheet of hair growing back on his head. He could hear Letty now – "_Shave that off! You look like a Neanderthal!" _The thought brought a smile to his face. He reached into the medicine cabinet and grabbed his clippers and began the task of shaving off every inch of hair from his head and face.

"Dom, will you hurry up? I swear, you're worse than I am," Mia's voice hollered as she banged on the bathroom door.

"There is another bathroom, Mi," he rolled his eyes and began brushing his teeth, slinging the door open to be faced with Mia. "You know, one of the selling points of the house was that I could enjoy my bathroom for as long as I wanted."

"I like your shower better," she shrugged, "Out."

He sighed but complied and rinsed the toothpaste from his mouth, moving out of the bathroom so she could take over. He got dressed in black jeans and a white t-shirt and moved to find his shoes, which seemed to disappear since last night. After realizing they weren't anywhere in his room, he moved to the lounge where he slept the night before. He didn't see them there, but the strange sounds he heard coming from the living area took his attention. When he stepped into the room, he could hear his niece's giggles but couldn't see her or Brian anywhere.

"Brooky, where are you, Princess?" he called out for her.

"Right here, Uncle Dommie!" her voice perked up and he found her in the kitchen behind the island kneeling over something in the floor.

"What have you got there?" he asked as he scooped her up, nearly jumping out of his skin as he realized what was keeping the tot so occupied. "Mia! O'Connor!" he hollered for the parents.

Brian entered the home in a rush, his face a look of fear as he searched for his daughter. When he went into the kitchen, he couldn't keep from laughing at the picture in front of him.

"When did we get a dog?" Dom grumbled as he held Brooklyn in his arms and stared down at the adorable pooch, who was happily chewing away on one of Dom's shoes.

"Oh, come on, you!" Brian exclaimed and picked up the puppy and the shoe, handing what was left of it to Dom. "Sorry. Mia saw her the other day and Brooklyn just had to have her. She's a Beagle, her name is Jessie."

Dom looked at the dog skeptically. He never was a dog person but he had to admit – the dog was fucking cute.

"Well if she starts going on the floor, I'm wiping _your _nose in it," he pointed at his brother-in-law, which brought out a giggle in his daughter.

Before he could reply, Mia came bounding into the kitchen running a towel through her wet hair. She stopped short as she saw Brian holding the pup and Dom's tattered shoe.

"Jessie! Bad girl!" she scolded the pup, who buried her nose in Brian's armpit.

"And you owe me a new pair of shoes," Dom said pointedly to his sister, handing over her daughter. He trudged back to his room and dug out his old work boots. As he slid his second boot on, something shiny caught his eye in the closet. He reached down, surprised to find the cross lying in the floor.

"How did you get down there?" he spoke to the inanimate object as he took the cool metal between his fingers, rubbing his thumb across the diamonds. The way the light shone off the jewelry always reminded him of Letty. Almost as if she was smiling at him through the cross. He remembered the day he got that necklace; it was the same day he got out of Lompoc.

It was also the day he realized just how special his Letty was.

**__****Flashback – June '97 – Dom's POV**

_"____Toretto! Toretto!" a harsh whisper from the bunk above me forced my heavy lids open. "Are you up?"_

___I rolled over on the uncomfortable, hard mattress and faced the inside wall, ignoring my cell mate, "No."_

_"____Get up, man. Aren't you excited? You're getting out today."_

___Instantly I was sitting up, a smile plastered on my face. He was right; after 745 days in lockup, I was finally getting out of this shithole. I was quickly up and awake, taking down every picture of the Team I had taped next to my bunk. I reached under the sleeve of the fabric they called a pillow and retrieved all the letters that were sent to me during my stay. Some were from Mia, each reminding me that she was doing fine and handling the family businesses okay and that I need not worry. Vince wrote to tell that Mia was a liar and that she had been an emotional wreck since I went inside. She was constantly on edge and hounding the others about not having enough money to keep the companies up. I felt bad for leaving my little sister – a mere fourteen at the time – to deal with such grown-up issues on her own, but I knew Vince would help her._

___The rest of the letters were from Letty – the best friend I didn't want._

___The letters from Letty were the only things I looked forward to every week. They kept me sane in this crazy place. She quickly went from the never-ending pain in my ass to my truest, my honest friend in these past few years. She was the only one who didn't ask why or judge me for my mistakes. She knew that I was a good guy, regardless of what those lawyers said. I knew she had a crush on me growing up, but I only really saw her as another annoying sister. But the weeks before my dad's last race, I began to notice a change in her. Her body was outgrowing her torn, worn out clothes, which meant borrowing Mia's tight-fitting shirts and shorts. Her legs weren't scrawny anymore, but they filled out nicely. Not only did she change physically, but her personality did as well. She became interested in boys and clothes and other shit girls liked. She didn't cling to me as much as she used to, and as superficial as it sounded, I didn't like it. At least I knew boys wouldn't hound her if she was too busy hounding me._

___I fingered the frayed edges of one of the papers with a smile. It was the first letter she ever wrote me, months after I went to jail. She revealed how much she missed me and how things were drastically different and strange without me. I had to admit that it felt weird without the young woman tagging along behind me everywhere I went, but obviously I was grateful that she was on the other side of that barbed-wire fence._

_"____Toretto! It's your lucky day," one of the correctional officers hollered from down the hall. I gathered my things fast and turned to my mate of seven-months, a lifer named Joe._

_"____See you around, Dominic," he smiled._

_"____I hope not," I gave him dap with my knuckles and turned to face the bars. That final walk down the corridor between the cells was triumphant and I held my head high as the other inmates screamed at my back. I collected my things from the 'personals pick-up' area, which included my wallet, a dingy pair of jeans, and a photo of my dad and I. We had just taken this photo the moment we finished the Charger. I missed my dad. Now that I was out, it was up to me to take his place as the man of the house, the provider and protector of my family. I vowed when I took my first breath as a free man that I would do just that – by any means necessary._

___I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked towards the gate, anxious to be on the other side of the fence. I could see a nice blue car waiting just outside the gate, a tall man with a beard leaning against it. I didn't recognize Vince initially, I hadn't seen him or the others since the day I was sentenced – I wouldn't allow them to see me caged like an animal._

_"____Vince?" I asked questioningly as I closed the distance between us._

_"____Dominc? Well I can see you enjoyed the prison food. You beefed the hell up," Vince teased as he gave me a playful slug in the arm. He had been right – spending my yard time lifting weights and any time in my cell doing push-ups had paid off. I was at least sixty pounds heavier and it was all muscle._

_"____Look at that mop on your face," I retorted and he rubbed it proudly._

_"____A man's beard. The ladies love it," he grinned and we finally embraced. "It's been a long time, brother. Good to see you out."_

_"____Glad to be out," I replied and walked around the Nissan Maxima, taking a good look at it. "Nice car, V. Yours?" Last thing I remembered him driving was a shitty little Honda._

_"____Hell yeah, she's mine. Won her in a race, but I put in the wrench time," he seemed a little offended, "We gotta get your ass back behind the wheel so you can show them fools at the races that you haven't lost your touch."_

_"____I've been itching to be back out there, but one thing at a time," I smirked and slid in the passenger seat of Vince's beautiful ride. It was sleek and purred like a kitten, but Nissan's weren't my style. "So where are the girls? Mia told me she'd be here," I said slightly saddened that Mia wasn't waiting for me. If not her, at least Letty._

___The thought of Letty made my insides tingle. I was most anxious to see her of everyone. From her letters, I gathered that she had grown up quite a bit and I couldn't wait to see for myself._

_"____At the house. Letty was helping Mia with something so I just came alone."_

___Being with Vince again was just like old times, driving around and ribbing on each other. I was happy things didn't change and I could only thank him for that._

_"____You know, you didn't have to take care of everything when I got locked up, but I'm grateful you did. Thanks V," I said sincerely._

_"____Hey, I've been hanging with the Torettos since I was nine years old. Ten years, Dominic. They are as much of my family as they are yours. That's as much of my home as it is yours. Mr. T was the father I never had. There's no thanks needed," he smiled and I knew he was right. Vince was family, blood couldn't make us any closer. We continued to chat up the half hour ride home about everything from girls, cars, and prison food until we arrived at the house._

_"____Welcome home, brother," Vince grinned as he shut off the car._

___There was a large banner hanging across the porch that welcomed me home and I smiled. It was good to finally be free. Taking the steps two at a time, I could hear rock music playing low on the other side of the door and my heart started to pound. Only Letty listened to rock music._

_"____Trust me, man. They are waiting for you," Vince supported from behind me. I took a deep breath and with a quick nod, pushed open the door._

_"____Welcome home, Dominic!" a slew of people cheered with happy faces as I stepped in my home. Everyone was there – school friends, familiar faces from the races, and other neighborhood buddies. I felt my heart warm with joy as I traveled through the sea of people shaking hands and kissing cheeks. I looked a little harder for a particular face, and once I spotted a raven-haired girl treading up the stairs, I decided to start my search there. Before I was able to move I was being tackled by scrawny arms and dark hair._

_"____God, I've missed you so much," Mia finally looked up with teary eyes._

_"____I've missed you, B_ella," I murmured into her, then stood back to take her in. "Look at you, Mi. You've grown up so much," I felt my chest ache in pain as I realized I missed my sister growing up. She was at least two inches taller, even without the heels (when did she start wearing heels?) and her previous shoulder-length hair was now brushing her lower back.

_"She ain't the only one, dawg," V whispered in my ear and pointed to the stairs._

_"She's waiting for you," Mia smiled then looked to Vince, who only shrugged and disappeared into the crowd. I kissed Mia's cheek and jogged up the stairs in search of Letty._

___As I was passing my old room on the way to Letty's, I saw that same raven-haired woman standing with her back to the door. My eyes traveled from her loose curls to the tight black shirt that was tied in the back and exposed a strip of smooth, caramel skin. Even lower sat her skintight leather pants that uncovered the bright red thong string resting on top of a perfect ass. I couldn't help but stare a little longer while she was distracted. After all, it had been two long years without a female companion._

_"__You know this is definitely a great welcome home present, but I was kinda expecting someone else, no offense," I said to her back. She seemed to stiffen as I spoke and when she turned around slowly, I was the one left...stiff. _

_"__None taken," the beautiful woman smirked, "but who exactly were you expecting?"_

_"__Letty?! Is that you?" I looked at her up and down, not ashamed to check out the front of the package. The shirt was a Nirvana one and it was ripped to show the most perfect cleavage I had ever seen. Her breasts were at least two cup sizes bigger and her lips were plump and full, and I felt guilty for wishing they were wrapped around my growing excitement._

_"__The one and only," she smiled and I was instantly lost in her eyes. They demanded my attention and I was glad to oblige. She wasn't the same Letty I knew two years ago; no longer scrawny with the body of a prepubescent boy, but the frame of a real woman. "Wow. I'm glad to see you weren't bored in there," she said and gave my torso the same enticing look. "Nice hair, too," she nodded to my freshly bald scalp. _

_"__You've … grown," I swallowed the lustful lump growing in my throat._

_"__That happens in two years," she quirked her brow and moved towards me. She held both hands behind her back and I was curious as to what she was up to. "I wanted to get you something for when you got out. I've been saving up since the day you went in," she moved her hands to show me a long necklace with a diamond-encrusted cross dangling from the end._

_"__Letty, you didn't have to-" I started but when she placed the cool metal over my head, her chest flushed against mine, I knew it was no changing her mind. I looked down at the necklace between us. It was an amazing gift. "This had to cost a fortune. Thank you, Lett."_

_"__Welcome home, Papa," I was shocked when she placed her hands on my chest and her soft lips on my cheek. I tried to ignore the heat building inside of me but it was hard when she smelled like vanilla and berries. I shoved my hands in my pockets in order to keep them off of her. Thankfully she moved out of the room and away from my flourishing arousal._

_"__Things are about to get really interesting..."_

_**End of Flashback**_

"Dom, we are about to leave your ass!" he snapped back to reality at the sound of Mia's yells. He kissed the cross and slipped the chain over his head.

The family piled into their two cars and headed straight for the garage. Dom had to break the news to his Tokyo team that he had to leave and they would be on their own again. He got a feeling of déjà-vu and tried to put aside his guilt as they pulled in to _Seoul-Oh Mechanics'_ parking lot.

"Hey, Big Dawg," Twink greeted as they entered through the bay doors. "I thought you were taking the day off."

"I am. I just need to talk to everyone about something," Dom said and looked around the quiet garage for the others. "Where is everyone?"

"Sean and Earl went on a run for the Yak. Reiko had some classes. They should be back soon."

"Brian, you show them around. I'm gonna make a call," Dom held up his phone for proof and disappeared into the office. He sat behind the desk and dialed the number he was becoming so familiar with. The first call went straight to voice-mail, so he decided to leave a message. "Hey, Lucas. I wasn't trying to freak you out earlier. I'm not sure what the deal is, but I can guarantee you no one is in any type of trouble. I just really need to get ahold of Leon to talk. Please, it's urgent. Have him call me back at this number, please. Thanks."

Dom tried one more time and just as he was ready to hang up, a throaty voice rang out on the other end.

"_Hola?_" the voice was harsh, but for some reason Dom's skin became covered in goosebumps. He didn't know what it meant, so he continued before the line was disconnected again.

"Thank God you answered. Please don't hang up, just listen. I'm gonna guess that you already know more about me than I do you. My name is Dom and I'm an old friend of Leon's. I haven't seen him in over three years and the family misses him. I saw a picture of him online and he didn't look too good, so we wanted to meet up with him and see how he's holding up. I don't want any trouble with you," he rambled quickly, "So do you know where I can find Leon?"

There was silence for a moment and Dom wondered if he'd ever get Lucas to cooperate with him. But then the voice spoke up again...

_"Munich, Germany."_

Then the line went dead. Dom was stuck in such a trance that he didn't care about the beeping sound in his ear. Something about that voice made his stomach do flips and his heart beat irregularly. Only one voice had ever had that affect on him and it surely wasn't Leon's little brother.

"You all right?" Mia's question brought him back to Earth and he put the phone back on the receiver.

"Huh?"

"I said are you all right? You look like you've seen a ghost," Mia walked over and felt his forehead for a fever. "You're a little warm. I'm sure I have something in here from when Brooklyn was sick," Mia mumbled and began rummaging through her purse as her motherly instincts kick in.

"You had Brooklyn so you could stop babying me," he smiled and kissed her forehead. "I'm fine, Sis. That voice on the phone was so familiar. Look," he held out his forearm, "it gave me chills.

"You like Leon's brother that much, huh?" she joked but his glare wiped the smile off her face.

"I don't think it was him. Kinda sounded like a woman, but she didn't say much."

"Well, what did she say?"

"Germany. Leon is in Germany."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Mia started, "I always wanted to go to Europe."

"Yo Dom, why is the supermodel back?" Dom rolled his eyes and led Mia out of the office to see Brian and Sean standing toe-to-toe.

"Sean, back off. Brian is harmless. Besides you won't have to deal with him anymore," he moved to stand in between the two, "because we're leaving for Germany."

"Germany?" Brian and Sean said synchronously.

"Going to see a friend. I'm not sure when we'll be back, so it's up to you guys to keep this place together."

"You know, Twink, I could sure use a vacation," Sean said, looking over at the young man. "What do you think?"

"You just can't get enough of me, huh Sunshine?" said Brian with a smile.

"What are you saying? You wanna come along?" Mia asked bewildered.

"Why not? Twink knows his way around Germany. And I would love get away from the Yakuza for a while."

"What about you, Earl?" Dom asked the tall boy.

"Nah, I don't wanna leave Reiko. She still has another year and I know she wouldn't want to leave that," he refused. "Besides, she and I can stay behind and run the shop. Hire a few bodies, it'll work out fine."

Dom thought for a moment about the tension between Sean and Brian escalating if they were around each other much longer, but he wasn't concerned about their pissing contest. He was only worried about getting to Leon.

"If you two come, you and Brian need to work this shit out. I'm not listening to the whining much longer, from either of you. Be packed by the end of the night. We'll flight out in the morning."

* * *

_"So do you know where I can find Leon?"_

Letty gulped down a frightened cry and composed herself so she could speak, "Munich, Germany."

She ended the call before he could say anything else. It didn't seem that he recognized her voice, which she was thankful for, but also a little sad. She wasn't sure if she could handle the now-inevitable confrontation over the phone, but she never thought that he'd forget her voice. Letty stood numb, unsure of how to handle the range of emotions her mind was currently going through. Luke had clearly been in contact with Dom, in some way, and didn't mention it at all. She wasn't sure whether to be angry or glad.

Of course, Letty wasn't always the most rational person.

She stormed through the house looking for Leon, hoping that he'd have an answer to all her questions. She found the others groggily chowing down on breakfast, and was directed by Carlos outside where Leon was loading his car. Stepping out on the porch, she noticed several papers disheveled on the chair that Leon was occupying the night before. Letty assembled the pages one-by-one, but when she reached the last page, she felt her world start its unbalanced revolution again. A Most-Wanted poster with Dominic Toretto's face sprawled on it was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Letty, girl, what are you-" Leon approached the porch, unaware of the danger zone he just entered. When he was only a few inches from her, he spotted the papers and quickly snatched them from her. "You don't need to see those."

"Leon, you have one opportunity to tell me the truth. If you lie, I swear I will end you where you stand," Letty's voice was low and sinister. There were tears in her eyes, but it was evident that she was holding them back. She backed him to the railing slowly, her fists clinched around the poster. "Have you guys been in contact with Dominic?"

"No, I-I haven't...talked to D-Dom in years," Leon fumbled over his words as she stared at him with an intense glare. He had never been so afraid to speak in his life. Before he knew it, he was falling backwards over the railing, his back slamming hard to the dusty concrete below. "Agh, fuck!"

Letty stood ominously over the railing, looking down at Leon like prey. She didn't care about him writhing in pain on the hard ground, or that his wrapped-ribs might've been injured again in the fall. She didn't care about his pain because right now it was nothing compared to her heartache. All she could see was red and all she wanted was someone's head on a platter.

"What did you find on him?" she asked from the porch. "Please, Leon. I deserve to know."

Leon coughed a few times to try to help his breathing, but it was no use. The broken ribs were too much and he was starting to see stars. When his vision finally focused, he could easily see the devastation in his friend's eyes. He had to do the right thing, no matter how bad the physical pain was. It could never amount to the pain that she was feeling inside, and to him that was more important.

"He's with Mia and O'Connor. They are wanted for a train heist that left cops dead. They also stole over 100 million dollars in cash from some scumbag businessman in Rio de Janeiro two years ago..."

She narrowed her eyes at him, sensing there was more that he was holding back. "And?"

Leon took a deep breath, "They think he's running with some female cop from Brazil. Speculation is that they're an item."

And just like that, Letty felt her soul shatter into pieces as she processed the information. An _item_. Dom was an item with a cop? Surely that couldn't be right. Letty wouldn't let herself believe that; Dom hated cops, he wouldn't dare become intimate with one, would he? There was no way she could believe that Dom would leave her and give himself to some lady cop. That was impossible, to Letty.

"What the hell did you do?" Red said shockingly as she saw the scene in front of her.

"Red, don't. It's fine," Leon tried but she ignored him.

"No, Le. You guys might be used to the bitchy behavior, but this is unacceptable," Red griped as she stepped in Letty's face. "I don't know who you _think_ you are, but all I see is trash. You've treated Leon like shit, which is pretty fucked up considering he is risking his life to save yours."

"If it wasn't for him, my life wouldn't be on the line right now," Letty spat back, "Listen, _cop_. I don't have to explain myself to you. But if you don't get the hell out of my face, I promise I won't hesitate to hurt you. I actually like Leon, I don't give two fucks about you," Letty's face was beet red as she threatened Red with no reluctance.

"Sweetheart, I'm not one of these mind-less boys. It'll take a lot more than your threats to scare me," Red smirked. Before Red could duck she was being floored by a hard fist.

"You're fucking loco!" Red screamed, cradling her bleeding nose.

"You ain't seen shit yet," Letty mumbled and stepped over her as she stormed into the house. She walked back to Luke's room and turned her anger on him. "You stupid son-of-a-bitch!" she screeched as she began her assault on the unsuspecting Luke, landing a hard fist to his jaw that quickly woke him from his deep slumber.

"What the fuck?" he groaned as he held his aching face.

Soon Leon and James' frames were standing in the doorway, watching the Latina strike.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell me Dominic has been calling you?!" Letty continued to scream and thrash, hitting every available spot on Luke's bare chest before being pulled away by James.

"Leon, what's going on?"

"My estranged ex-boyfriend has been calling you two fuckers and nobody thought to mention it!" Letty screamed from James' arms.

Luke froze like a deer caught in headlights, his eyes wide with realization as he finally spotted his phone on the floor.

"Letty, I'm so sorry. You were so depressed over him. You were finally happy, I didn't want to hurt you with bringing him back into the picture."

"That's not your choice, Lucas!" she screamed, "You should've told me."

"Hey, let's just all calm down," Leon said once he noticed that Julian was waking. "Letty, Dom is in Japan. Mia and Brian live in India."

"Well not anymore," she shrugged James off of her, "He's on his way to Germany. To find you. Have a safe trip."

With her mind set, Letty started shoving clothes and toys into their duffle bags. She hurriedly dressed Julian and carried their bags out of the room before anyone tried to stop her.

"Where are you going?" Leon followed her with Luke close behind him.

"Away. I'm not going to Germany. If he doesn't want me, I won't throw myself in front of him."

"Letty come on. How can I keep you and Julian safe if we're in two different countries?" Leon pleaded.

"Newsflash Leon: I'm a big girl. I can take care of my own son."

"Not if you're in a body bag, Lett," he roughly snatched the bag from her hands and tossed it in the trunk. "Let me settle this shit with Koenig, then if you want to leave, I won't try to stop you. Please."

Letty looked into his begging eyes and she could tell he was really struggling with what to do. They all were.

"On one condition..." he nodded feverishly. "Keep Dom away from me. I don't want him knowing I'm there."

"Letty, you know that's impossible. Besides, what about Julian?" she turned to look at her boy who was buckled up in his seat.

"I'll figure that out. But for now, you make it possible," Letty looked up when Luke started for the car. "And loverboy can ride with you. He really doesn't want to be near me right now."

"But I do," Luke objected but Leon's hand in his face shut him up.

"No, you don't. Get in the car, dummy."

* * *

**_I know I promised Red's revelation in chapter 19, but I got too excited and made this chapter way too long, so I split it up into two parts. Now my original plan was to update both chapters together, but writer's block is kicking my ass on Pt. 2. and it is a little more difficult to write, but I do have more than half of it complete. Give me two days tops! Please read and review guys. _**


	20. Chapter 19 Pt II

_**As an apology for the wait, another 5K+ words for you.**_

_**Chapter 19 Pt. II-Welcome to Germany**_

Letty was fuming as she sped behind Leon's Supra as the group made their way to the boat docks. To keep a low profile, they decided to only take three cars to Germany and find new ones once they touched down. Leon was too chicken-shit to part with the Supra, and along with the Jetta and James' Lancer, it was safely boarded on a transport ship and off to Germany. They then were off to the airport. She tried to keep her emotions under check, at least until they were safely on board. She didn't speak to anyone but Julian and it worried Luke, but he didn't want to push her, so he left her be.

After arriving at the airport, Leon distributed everyone their passports, boarding passes and new ID's. Well, everyone but Red.

She stood with her hand out, waiting as Leon twirled the piece of plastic between his fingers. They were taking a final smoke before their long flight and Leon seemed to be battling with the idea of giving Red her new inconspicuous identity. She was causing too much attention to herself, and he couldn't promise that her new rivalry with Letty wouldn't get in the way of the objective ahead. He had to make a decision, now.

"Hey, Red. Why didn't you correct Letty when she called you a cop? _Are _you a cop?" his question caught the members of his Team's attention and now all eyes were on her.

Red's eyes averted quickly, hoping to think of a believable excuse before he could catch on.

"Of course not," she gave a timid chuckle, "You know me, Leo. I can't stand the pigs."

"Then why do I have documents telling me otherwise?" he was careful to take in her demeanor as he questioned her. He knew she didn't like pressure and would eventually break.

"I used to be, to make my dad happy. But then I didn't want to live that life," her cell phone ringing distracted her and looking at the name on the ID, she figured it'd be best not to answer her real boss's call while being grilled by Leon.

"Who are you always on that phone with?" James jumped in.

"No one important," She smiled sweetly, which made Letty's skin crawl. She couldn't stand this arrogant bitch. She turned her gaze to Jerry, who was standing next to her looking rather lost in thought.

"Hobbs!" Jerry's outburst silenced everyone in the near area. He blushed a little before speaking, "One day you left your phone out, so I figured Leon wouldn't mind me dumping the records. I traced the number that was appeared the most and it was to the Bureau of Diplomatic Security. A direct line to an agent named Luke Hobbs."

"Which is funny, because that is the same department that has an officer tracking down Dominic," pointed James. Letty wanted to throw herself on Red, but held her composure for the time being. There would be too many witnesses to her murder.

"You dumped my phone?" she stepped enraged towards the computer whiz, but Leon blocked her path. "You stupid asshole! Don't you know that's illegal without a warrant?"

"Now, why would a coke-dealing street racer care about the legal system? I mean, would you guys have preferred he went to the police to get this evidence, you know, the legal way?"

"Hell no!" the boys rambunctiously agreed.

"Earmuffs," Letty whispered to Julian, who obediently covered his ears. "Fuck the police," she smiled sweetly, flipping off the redhead happily. She turned on her heels and entered the airport, leaving the others to deal with their own mess.

Leon pulled out his lighter and held it and the fake ID in front of Red's face, forcing her to watch him roast her chances of getting to Dominic. When the plastic was useless, he tossed it in a nearby trashcan, with the passport and boarding pass following after ripping them both to shreds.

"You're making a huge mistake," her tone was a warning one, but it only pissed Leon off more.

"You were the mistake!" he shrieked in her face, "I trusted you, and all along you were just after Dom. Is that why you've had such a hard on for him since I mentioned him?"

"It's more than that," Red replied, shuffling tensely. "Listen, Leon..."

"I'm done listening!" he screamed, which made her flinch from the bite. "If I see you in Germany, I'll be the last one to see you alive. Stay the fuck away from my family. Or I will let her end you," Leon warned one last time before turning his back to her and retreating inside of the airport.

* * *

Twelve hours and an entire sleep-less flight later, Letty and Julian were stepping off their flight in a new part of the world. Munich, Germany was a lot different than Costa Rica. It was rather cold and though she had her son bundled up fine, Letty herself was shivering from the cool temperature. She wanted to, but didn't react when Luke tossed his jacket over her arms. She was thankful for the gesture and gave him a small smile to say so. She kept a tight hold on Julian's hand as they all stepped out onto the cold street which was nearly empty. Letty figured it was because it was so late, but then again she had no idea what time it was because of the time zone change. She was finding it hard to keep up with all the bouncing over the globe they were doing.

"Hail a cab. We'll sleep tonight then start looking for cars tomorrow," said Leon as he gazed up at the intricate architecture that was hypnotizing and he knew why his father loved this place. It was beautiful and cozy and he felt right at home.

The group of friends paid three adjoining suits and split up for the night; Rob, Carlos, and Jerry in one room, Luke, Leon, and James in the middle room, and for everyone's safety? Letty and Julian in the last. The rooms were exquisite and spacious with a gold and red theme. The bathroom was one out of a movie, with a massive bathtub, a waterfall shower, and his-and-hers matching sinks. Letty vied to enjoy herself for the last night before her life was flipped upside down again.

"'Ere's Luke, Mama?" Julian's sleep-coated voice asked as Letty sat him down on the bed.

"He's spending some time with Uncle Le-Le," she knew Julian would hate the idea of Luke not being around, but she still wasn't sure that she didn't want to strangle him, so she'd keep her distance for now.

Her mind wandered back to Dominic and his call earlier. Letty had mixed emotions about her estranged boyfriend, but she knew a part of her was anxious to see him. To see if he really had the balls to lay down with a pig. She knew that no matter what happened in the upcoming weeks, nothing would be the same. Her relationship with Luke (if could even be called that) would be up in the air; Dom seeing his son for the first time would surely kick up a shit-storm if seeing her alive didn't do it.

Her biggest worry? She knew Dom would come up with some half-brain scheme to take down Alvaro and just like past experience, someone was going to end up dead. She only hoped it was Koenig and not one of her own.

Letty wanted the pleasure of murdering those morons herself.

"Only a few minutes of Scooby, then it's off to bed buddy," she said as Julian crawled to the top of the bed and snuggled under the heavy blankets as she put in his favorite DVD.

Letty made sure he was settled before changing into her PJ's, which consisted of short shorts and a black tank top. She made her way to the fridge and prayed that there would be a cold beer inside. Unfortunately there wasn't any, but she settled for a bottle of champagne. She popped the cork and moved out to the balcony located next to the bed.

The air was perfect; not too windy or chilly, but just right. She overlooked the city in awe. She always wanted to travel the world, it had been a long time since she went anywhere without red and blue lights in her rear-view. Tipping up the bottle, she took a mouthful of the golden liquid and guzzled it down quickly.

Letty could feel herself slowly but surely relaxing as she breathed in the cool, calm air. Something about this place made her feel at home, dare she say it …

_safe_. She wasn't sure if it was the champagne or the city, but she felt warm and fuzzy inside, almost as if big arms were wrapped around her.

___**Flashback – April '98 – Letty's POV**_

___I finally crawled in bed after a long night of partying and I could feel my body melt into the sheets. Ah, it was fi_nally nice to lay down where the room wasn't spinning. I wasn't quite drunk – I can hold my liquor very well – but I was definitely buzzed. The house was quiet for the first time all day and I was loving it. Don't get me wrong, I loved being around the guys, but it was nice having some silence for once.

_I drifted off to sleep but woke up a few hours later to the sounds of hard thunder and torrential downpour outside my window._

_**Damn storms, gotta ruin my good dream**. I flinched as the monstrous thunder boomed and rattled my bed. I squeezed my eyes shut tight, hoping the slight tremors would stop. When the rain stopped, I peaked my eyes open and dared to look out the window, only to see the most scariest lightening strike that lit up the entire sky._

_Yeah, I was afraid of thunderstorms, so what? They scared the shit out of me. Thankfully, living in L.A meant we didn't have to deal with them often. But many rainy summers in the Dominican visiting my Tia Lucille made me very familiar with them._

_As much as I disliked the extreme weather change, I loved it for one reason only – it gave me an excuse to sleep with Dominic._

_After he was released from prison, Dom and I became closer than ever. We were inseparable and had the chemistry that neither wanted to admit. He seemed to cling to me, but I chose to give him the cold shoulder, the same way he had me before I grew a C cup. I could feel the jealousy radiating off of him when I chose to hang with V or even one of the new guys, Jesse, over him. Every now and then I'd let on that I was interested and we would fool around. Hey, a girl had to have her fun too._

_I loved these great boobs._

_Dominic was the only one who knew I was afraid of these storms and he didn't mind spooning with me until it was over. His big arms made me feel safe and untouchable. And they sounded too good to pass up right now._

_I crept out of my room and past Mia's as I made my way silently to Dom's. I knocked lightly a few times before turning the knob and pushing open the door quietly. His back was to the door and I had to smile when I realized he was alone in bed. Usually, he would be face deep in chaser trash at this time. Nevertheless, I walked over and tapped his arm lightly. He stirred a little but didn't open his eyes, only lifted the blankets up for me to crawl in. I quickly obliged and snuggled against his bare chest. The heat from his body warmed me from the toes up. His large arm wrapped around me and landed on my stomach, pulling me flush against his body. The butterflies instantly kicked up and a part of me wondered if he could feel them under his palm._

_"I'm starting to wonder if these storms are just an excuse for you to get in bed with me. There **are **other ways, you know," his deep voice hummed in my ear, and I felt a jolt of electricity go through my body._

_"Who says I'm here for the storm?"_

_**End of Flashback**_

_Yeah, that was a good night._

"Must've been a good daydream," Luke's voice said from the left of her. She looked over to see him leaning against the railings on his balcony, taking a hard drag from a cigarette.

"It was," she turned back to the people who looked like ants from so high up. "I didn't know you smoked."

"Bad habit, I guess," he shrugged.

"Kinda like lying?" she bit at him after taking another gulp.

"I deserved that."

"You deserved a lot more than that. What the hell were you thinking? Not telling me that shit. You know what that did to me? It ruined your chance of ever completely having my trust," she could tell he wanted to tuck his tail and run away, but his feet stayed planted.

He shook his head, "I know. He started calling a few days ago. I don't even know how he got my number. I never even talked to him. I just didn't want to throw you and the kid back into train wreck. You were so mad at him. I thought I was doing the right thing."

"Let's get one thing clear before this goes any further. I'm the only one who makes the right decision about myself and my son. I know you were trying to help, and I appreciate that, but you have to understand. Dominic was a big part of my life, and regardless of who I'm with, he always will be. He was the only man I've ever loved, and even though he caused me some of the worst pain I've ever experienced emotionally, that'll never change," she sighed, realizing she wasn't breathing in-between words.

"So... do you think you two will get back together?" his voice was so shaky that she thought he'd break out in tears.

"I don't want to think about being near him right now, let alone _with_ him. I just wanna take everything one day at a time. For Julian's sake."

"What about us?" she looked at him, but didn't know how to answer, so she looked away again. "Letty, I'm sorry. These few weeks I've spent with you two have been insane, but it's been the most fun I've had in a long time. I love the time I spend with you, and that little boy. I don't want it to stop," she met his gaze with her own and could see his green pools pleading.

"I can't promise you anything, but I'll retract the claws if you can gain my trust. I just need you promise me one thing?"

"Anything."

"Do not let him hurt me again. I can't take much more of it," her voice broke, but she covered it with a nervous laugh.

"Leticia, I won't let anyone ever hurt you or your son again, as long as I'm around," he replied with such intensity that she had no choice but to believe him. She nodded, gazing off at the full moon.

"Good," she mumbled. "I'll see you in the morning."

* * *

Dom laid in bed with his arms under his head, staring up at the high ceiling as his thoughts ran rampant. He had finished packing an hour ago and their flights were already booked. Now all he had to do was force himself to sleep for a few hours before their long flight, but he wasn't having much luck. Mia and O'Connor were already fast asleep, which left him listening to the many different sounds of the house: the slight snores from the guest room next door (presumably Mia's), their new pet Jessie scratching herself eagerly, and the slow, soothing drip of the waterfall decoration in the lounge (which was also Mia's idea).

But nothing could compare to the phrase repeating in his head: "_Munich, Germany_."

Even thinking about it made his skin crawl and he only wished he had gotten more out of the caller. He wanted to know who she was, and why the hell he couldn't stop replaying her voice in his mind. Dominic was thankful that she helped, he already liked her more than Lucas. Dom's mind then wondered what the hell Leon was doing in Germany. He didn't remember him expressing his interest in the European country, but it was hard to tell with Leon. Dom never expected him to turn to cocaine either.

Dom didn't know when he had fallen asleep, but when he woke the following morning, he was still dressed in loose-fitting jeans and pattering feet could be heard shuffling around the house. Chancing a glance over at his alarm clock that read 6:05, he climbed out of bed and moved to the bathroom so he could start preparing for their trip. After a refreshing shower, Dominic quickly dressed and carried his things to the front door. He would be leaving the loft to Reiko and Earl, who expressed interests of finding their own place together. He knew they would take well care of it and didn't worry about the condition he might later find it in.

"Are you sure you guys don't want to go back home first to get some things? It might be a while before we're back," Dom asked the parents once again, but Mia waived it off once more.

"We have plenty stuff here. And besides, we still have money. If we see anything we need – like new heels, fur coats, or maybe even a vacation house – then we'll happily purchase it," Mia smiled, but Brian's look of disdain said that he didn't agree with her shopping ideas.

Dom laughed while shaking his head at his peppy sister.

"What about cars?" Brian asked.

"I called in a favor to a friend of Han's. He's getting our cars shipped. The Nissan too. They'll be waiting when we land."

"Really? Why?"

"I don't want to let it out of my sight, just in case that psycho comes back and tries anything stupid," Dom tried to keep Elena out of his mind, but when just the thought of her behind the wheel of the Nissan made him enraged, that made it slightly difficult. He made sure to inform Reiko and Earl of all the security passwords and hook-ups.

The three gathered their things when a car horn was heard just outside the loft, signaling that Twink and Sean were ready to go. Dom loaded his things in the trunk of the Challenger and walked over to the Nissan, where Mia was loading Brooklyn in the backseat. He smiled as he watched the little girl cling to her favorite doll as she slept soundly. Mia turned to him and took the keys gently from his fingers.

"I could always drive the Skyline," she said after catching the worried look in his eyes.

"And leave the Buster to drive my car? Never in a million years," he teased. "I trust you with her. Besides, I'm the one who taught you to drive and race. Other than Letty, you're the only one I'd trust to get her safely to the airport. After that, she'll be on a cargo ship and in Germany before us."

He wasn't sure who he was trying to convince more – Mia or himself. It was good enough for her and she rubbed his arm to relax him before sliding into the driver's seat and starting the beauty. He stood proud of the machine as it roared; it was some of his best work as a mechanic.

"Let's roll; our flight takes off in 45 minutes!" Twink said from the passenger side of Sean's car.

The Toretto-O'Connor clan boarded their flight without a hitch and settled comfortably in their first class seats. Looking out the window next to him, the clouds seemed closer than ever, almost as if he could just reach out and touch them. A glare beamed in his eyes and when he looked down, he noticed it was his necklace glowing against the close sun. Smiling, he picked it up and took a long look at it. He was glad he still managed to keep it around after so long, and realized it was one of the last things he had to remember her by. Other than her car, a few pictures that weren't lost in the constant running, and the memories, Dom was lost without her. He didn't know how to function properly in a society where Letty didn't exist. At one point, he wanted to give up, wave the white flag and spend the rest of his days behind bars. With Mia happy and safe with Brian, he had no point of living on the outside without her. Now, all he prayed for was one last time to see her smile, to inhale her vanilla scent, to be pressed flush against her body in the heat of the moment.

At some point, the heists and the money became more significant than his friendships, and more importantly, his relationship with Letty. He always assumed that Letty would be right by him through thick and thin. It was never an option of her not being around, but now it was unavoidable. And it was all his fault.

"If I could go back, I would've never left that night..." he whispered to the necklace as if her soul was living within it. Dom kissed the cross one last time before forcing himself to get some shut-eye. He would have to preserve all of his energy for scouring the city of Munich for his friend.

Hours later the bunch was stepping off the long international flight and they looked to Dom for what to do next.

"Hotel," was all the jet-lagged man could manage. They halted a cab and rode to a hotel only ten minutes from the airport.

"This place is like a fairy tale," Mia said with adoration in her eyes as she took in the historical buildings that lined the streets. "These houses look like castles. Letty would love this."

When Mia was going through her class work, Letty would happily listen to Mia talk about the castles and ancient landmarks for hours. Letty was intrigued. He knew she secretly desired to roam the streets of Europe and soak it up like a sponge. Dom only wished he was able to make her dream come true.

"Yeah," he concurred as he looked up at the full moon, which seemed a lot closer than normal, "She would."

* * *

_"__Our mission is to take down Dominic Toretto. Last time he was custody, he had help from his baby sister Mia Toretto and cop-turned-fugitive Brian O'Connor in orchestrating an escape. Stay on alert. They are squirmy and professional criminals; they run for a living and won't hesitate to push you out of their way to get to freedom. I'll tell you like I told my old team: do not let any of them near a car. If you do, you might as well hop on a plane and go find yourself another career. I'm not letting Toretto out of my grasps again."_

Agent Luke Hobbs prepped his new team of rookie recruits on their next daunting task – taking down Team Toretto at all costs. After threatening some scared racers with jail time, Hobbs was able to get Dom's address from one of his many jaded late-night adventures. They were currently approaching the loft and Hobbs smiled victoriously. His vacation was long overdue and the sooner Dominic was in a federal cell, the sooner he'd be laying on a beach in the Bahamas.

The D.S.S. Gurka trucks stopped a few houses away while several SWAT teams surrounded the home on all fronts. Hobbs and his team moved swift and hidden in the night, which aided the element of surprise. There weren't any lights on in the home and Hobbs readied himself at the front door, shotgun secure in his hands as they prepared for the take down.

"Dominic Toretto! FBI! Open up; your luck just ran out. I've come to collect," Hobbs banged on the wooden door, but didn't get an answer, which was no surprise to him. He stepped back, took a deep breath, and with a bone-crushing kick, booted the door off the hinges and into pieces on the floor.

The SWAT team rushed the house, all splitting up in different directions to search for their man. After each room was cleared and deemed safe, Hobbs could feel his blood boiling even more. He didn't want this trip to turn up nothing.

"Boss, we got something!" he let out a deep breath that he didn't realize he was holding and hurried to the furthest bedroom He was expecting to see Toretto in cuffs, finally surrendering his criminal reign. Instead, he was faced with a frail Japanese boy in his white briefs and a half-naked girl cowering near the closet.

"What the hell is this? What are you two doing?" he asked through clenched teeth. He was finding it hard to hold in his anger.

"Well we were sleeping until you bombarded our place. What are you guys doing here?" he retorted, shielding his eyes with his hands from the bright flashlights.

"We are looking for Dominic Toretto. We have reason to believe that he lives here," Hobbs replied, staring at the boy's body in disgust. He turned to the girl, who was still shivering frighteningly in the corner. "What the hell do you see in this kid? He's got the body of a ten year-old Ethiopian girl. My six year-old nephew has more muscle than he does," Hobbs felt a little better giving this boy a hard time. He always did have a sick sense of humor. "Where is Dom?"

"He's gone. He left this morning. What the hell is going on?"

Just before Hobbs could respond, his cell phone began buzzing on his belt. He handed the command off to one of his recruits and excused himself.

"What? I'm busy."

_"__Dom's not there. They split this morning."_

"What do you fucking know? We just busted in on some slumber party and guess what? No, Dominic."

_"__Look, I don't know what your problem is. But Dom is not there! He's meeting Leon and his goons in Germany. I told you that."_

"Well then why did you tell me he was in Japan?"

_"__What? Luke, what are you talking about? You need to get your men out of Japan and into Europe right away."_

Hobbs stood confused, "If you didn't call me last night, who did?"'

_"__I don't know, but I'm sure I'm not the only person looking to sink their teeth into some Toretto blood. Listen, I need a plane to pick me up. I want to get there in time to rub Toretto's face in the dirt. "_

"I thought you were flying out with them?"

_"__They made me at the airport. Long story. Look, I just need a plane to Germany and some gear. I'm in the middle of Costa Rica right now."_

"I'll send a chopper to you. And Rodriguez: do not make a move until I get there. Those guys my seem harmless, but they will do anything to avoid jail time, and that includes hurting you. I know you want revenge for your brother's death, but you have to let me do my job. I promised your father I would take care of you when he got sick, and having you apart of my team is the easiest way I can look after you. Just stay put until the chopper gets there. It'll bring you back to the headquarters."

_"__Come on, Luke! Don't pull me off of this."_

"I'm not. I'm going to meet you there. We need to regroup and debrief you on everything."

_"__Fine. Later."_

Hobbs sighed when he heard the dead end and put his phone away. That girl was going to be the death of him. He took her in after her father, the chief of police in his hometown of New York and his supervisor for fifteen years, passed away. He promised to keep her head on straight but the strong-willed woman was hard to keep under wraps. She was rebellious and loved making her own rules, which didn't go over well with her supervisors in New York.

It didn't really go over well with anyone and he had no clue how she got by on a daily basis with an attitude like hers. Stubborn, abrasive, and sarcastic – all characteristics he helped her perfect. She was like an annoying younger sister but a damn good undercover agent. And he was proud to have her as one of his top agents.


	21. Chapter 20

**Thanks for all of the amazing reviews. I was a little skeptical about that last chapter; I hated to squeeze so much into one chapter, but it looks like it turned out for the best. **

**Things will picking up in the next few chapters so please keep your eyes out for them. And don't forget to review; I can't make it better or take it where you guys would like it to go if I don't have your input.**

_**Chapter 20-Sixth Sense**_

"Is this is it, Lucas?" Leon called his brother from the Supra as they pulled into the driveway of a beautiful, white three-story villa. It was surrounded by acres of grassy land, and to the left, a small service road that led down to a lakeshore. Behind the lake was an incredible view of the majestic Alps.

"Yeah, you lucky bastard," he replied, causing Leon to grin widely.

"The prince finally has his palace," Letty yelled into the phone.

Leon laughed hysterically when he exited the car, taking in the massive size of the villa. It was beautifully structured with a wrap-around porch on the second level and two small balconies on either end of the top floor.

"This place is incredible," Leon screamed and his voice echoed for miles.

"Let's go see the inside," James said as he took off running for the house. The rest of the crew followed, even with tiny Julian trotting along. Entering the double-doors, they were faced with bright white and maroon walls lined with photographs of their father Lenny and his friends on vacation. Some were plagues for his award-winning cigars, others of him hard at work in his factories. Up high was a gold chandelier that illuminated the entire entrance-way between the double staircases that led to the second level of the villa.

Walking inside, they made their way into living room, as to which their jaws dropped in shock. The design was elegant with a warm fireplace, large white couches and matching loveseats that went great with the Brazilian cherry hardwood floors and a grand piano in the corner of the room. Small end tables matched a long dinner table in an adjacent room that was sure enough to fit the ever-growing family. A wooden shelf behind the table held fine China and boxes of his father's cigars, along with photos of Lenny on his wedding day with Sophia.

"You're mom is a milf, Le," James wiggled his eyebrows as they examined the pictures.

"What the hell, man!" Leon replied with a smile. His friends always did hit on his mother; she was beautiful.

They all split up to explore the rest of their new temporary home. Letty was amazed by the structure and size of the inside of the house. It was insanely spacious, almost as if it was built for a huge family to live comfortably. With three master bedrooms, four guest rooms, and seven and a half baths, it was the perfect place for an extended household. But with all of the expensive furniture, chandeliers, and fancy plates laying around, it was a disaster waiting to happen for a group of clumsy, messy, uncoordinated street racers.

Letty smirked and wondered silently just how much damage would be done by the end of the day.

Roaming the halls, she spotted the room that screamed testosterone – the Man Cave. It was a lounge room with light indigo-colored walls covered in old sports memorabilia. There were even a few signed photographs of stock-car racing legend Richie Evans over some model cars that looked similar to the ones Luke kept in his motel room. Leather recliners and sofas lined the floor in front of a big-screen television and behind them sat a massive pool table. Off to the side was a fully loaded bar that Letty hoped to take full advantage of soon. A beautifully-crafted poker table sat in the center of the room with an array of chairs and stools underneath. And of course, more of Lenny's signature _Hernandez Familia_ cigars were placed in the center of the table. Letty swiped one for the box, smiling as she held the stick between her teeth.

For a split-second, she felt like life was good. She never dreamed of living _near_ a house this nice, let alone living in it for the time being. She was excited to reap the benefits of knowing Leon for once.

Exiting the room, she followed the raucous to a room which acted as a second living area, where the boys were standing in front of a wall-length fish tank staring in shock as two baby sharks swam ominously back and forth.

"Let's make sure we keep the kid away from the tanks," Leon muttered. Looking throughout the rest of the room, Letty spotted several tanks, each filled with dangerous sea creatures such as stingrays and eels.

"How about we keep him out of here _entirely_," she added, a little nervous about her curious son in a house full of dangerous animals. It was bad enough having Leon and his friends acting like wild strays with no home training.

"All right, go get a rooms and let's meet out on the patio. We need to start on figuring out this money," Leon directed and everyone obeyed, trotting off in different directions in search of a bedroom. "And pair up. We might be having more company."

Letty's body tensed at these words but she kept walking with her hand clutching Julian's tightly. She began up the flowing steps to the second floor of the villa. She followed the small hallway that led to several bedrooms and opened the first door. She closed it just as quickly after the giant black bear rug scared the daylights out of Julian. The second room was also a no-go; it was an ugly teal color that Letty couldn't stand looking at for more than a few seconds. The last room, located adjacent to the balcony, was just right. It had the same deep maroon walls as the rooms downstairs and it gave off a warm, comfortable ambiance. There was a huge bed made up to perfection with white/maroon coverlets and pillows to match. To the left was a white dresser and two small tables sat on each end of the bed. A round, wooden table was placed next two sliding-glass doors that provided a gorgeous view of the grassy hillside of the backyard.

"You stay away from here, okay? That's a no-no," she warned Julian of the doors. She pulled the drapes closed to defer him. He stared intently at the red drapes and shook his head.

"No-no," he repeated and she smiled.

"Good boy," Letty gave her only son a long look. Scooping him up, she moved to sit down on the bed with him in her lap. "Hey, do you wanna see Papa?" his eyes lit up at the mention of his father and her heart sank. He already adored Dom and the kid didn't even know him. This was making her decision to see Dominic a hard one to make.

"But Mama mad at Papa?" his little eyebrows quirked and his gray eyes filled with curiosity.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you have to be. You just be a good boy and let Mommy handle the rest," she clutched him close to her chest and swallowed the nervous lump in her throat.

As much as she hated Dom and wanted nothing to do with him... she was going to have to swallow her pride and deal with him like an adult. There wasn't anymore running to be done. She had to face the fact that whether he or she liked it, they were going to be co-parents.

"Letty girl!" Leon's hollering from down below broke their embrace. Letty led the tot back downstairs and out onto the back patio where James, Rob, Carlos, and Jerry were tossing a football back and forth over the wide plain.

"Ball!" Julian squealed as he reached for the pigskin.

"Come on lil dude. I bet you can throw one better than Rob can," James gave Letty a wink and lifted Julian over the railing and sat him down. Everyone watched as he bolted straight for the football in Rob's hands. He happily gave chase, giggling as Rob fell down into a roll. They all laughed as he ripped the ball from his hands and took off the best his little legs could.

"Have you called him yet?" Letty's words stopped Leon's laughter and held Luke's gaze. Leon shook his head. "Call him. No point in putting this off."

Leon's eyes bulged "And tell him what? Hey Dom. Long time, no talk. I'm in Germany with your non-dead ex-girlfriend and the child you don't know about. Yeah, Lett, that'll go over well."

She thought about his words. He was right. They would have to figure out a more delicate way to reveal her and Julian to Dom.

"Just call him. He's probably looking all over this place for you," she sighed, flopping down in one of the patio chairs. She snatched up a brew from the ice bucket on the railing and easily gulped it down after cracking it open. Letty polished it off and another soon after.

She needed something to take the edge off.

Leon excused himself to ring Dominic, leaving Letty and Luke alone for the first time since Costa Rica. Letty kept her eyes on Julian to avoid contact with Luke.

"So I was thinking," Luke finally broke the silence, which startled Lett a bit. "Why don't I just pay off this Alvaro? I mean I have the money and it can settle all of this before it gets worse."

"That sounds nice and all, but Leon won't go for it. He's too proud to let his little brother take care of his issues," she replied.

"Well he better get off his high horse soon and wise up, no pun intended," he tried to joke but Letty's look of displeasure shut him up.

"He's on the way," Leon's voice was shaky and unsettling. "He's with Mia and O'Connor. They are on the other side of the city."

"I'm going to lay down for a bit. Suddenly I feel like throwing up," she stood and moved to the door but Luke's hand caught hers and stopped her.

"I'll look after the kid," she smiled and mouthed a thanks, giving his hand a squeeze before disappearing into the house.

Leon sat in Letty's seat and watched their interaction. When she was inside, he decided to have a talk with his brother.

"So how did that happen? How did you even find her?"

"I was staying at a motel in Honduras. The heat was getting heavy in Miami, the cops cracking down on the races. So I flew out where I knew I could make some good money and test out the Mazda. I was there for about two months before she showed up. Man, she was an icy bitch for the first few weeks," the two brothers laughed.

"She'd take that as a compliment," Leon joked.

"When she started working on the Jetta, she'd be up at all times of the night banging and tinkering on it. I wanted to complain, but then I realized just how beautiful she was. I tried some of the old Hernandez charm, but she didn't fall for it."

"Yeah, Letty is from another breed of women. She would rather kick your ass in a fistfight than go on date with you just to see if you're worthy of her time. She's a true ball-buster," Leon said as he reminisced on the many dismissals that Letty handed out on a regular basis to guys who tried their luck.

"Ain't that the truth," Luke laughed.

* * *

When Dom woke this morning with the bright Munich sun baring down on his face, he was in surprisingly good spirits. He slept better than he had in weeks and was looking forward to traveling the town today. He decided that since he didn't have the chance to bring Letty here, he would explore the town in her honor.

He started the coffee maker in his hotel room and moved to stand by the floor-length window, staring down at the bustling city. The area was intriguing and modern and he was certainly interested in the cars; particularly the street racers.

"Yo Dom!" a knock at the door broke his concentration and he made his way over to answer. Pulling it open, he saw Brian standing with a smile.

"You always answer the door in your panties?" he asked with a grin and pointed to Dom's gray boxer briefs. (**A/N: Just the thought makes me drool**)

"You always look at a man's crouch when he opens the door?" Dom fired back with his own smile. Brian's face quickly dropped as he realized what he had done. "Where's everyone?" Dom asked while shoving his legs into his jeans. He poured himself a cup of coffee and one for Brian.

"Mia's getting the kid ready and Twink and Sean are downstairs in the lobby getting breakfast. You heard from Leon yet?"

"Not yet, but I figured I'd call his brother again today. See if I can get a number for him. I don't wanna go asking around town in case he is in some type of trouble."

"You think he could be?"Brian asked as he watched Dom get ready.

"I don't know," Dom said honestly. "What are the cars like here?"

Brian's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Not sure yet. A lot of nice cars come out of Germany but I haven't seen much yet. When we get settled, we'll have to sneak off and find the races. With the cars that are native to this place, I can guarantee it's gonna be some worthy contenders," Brian said with a 1000-watt smile.

"When my sister kicks you're ass up and down this country for going back on your word, don't look to me for help. You think _I_ can throw a punch," Dom trailed off and got pleasure from the horrified look on his brother-in-law's face. "Let's go get our cars."

Dom finished dressing and gathered his belongings at the door. The two finished up their cups before leaving the room and making their way downstairs to the lobby. Once there, they spotted Twinkie at the breakfast station with Brooklyn as he tried to help her open her milk. Sean was seated with a plate of muffins and eggs.

"Dom, Rosa just called," Mia said as she entered the room, "She said Leon called her a few days ago looking for Vince. Poor guy didn't even know."

Dom sighed and rubbed his neck tiredly. A reminder of his best friend's death wasn't how he wanted to start off his day. Vince's death was hard on him and he was sure he still wasn't over it.

"I can imagine how he's feeling. He and V were close," Dom replied, feeling for his friend. "Did she say anything else?"

"Just that he asked for our phone numbers. It appears that he was looking for us too."

Before he could reply, his cell phone began buzzing in his pocket. Pulling it out, he realized that it was Earl and wondered why he would be calling so soon after they left. Putting it to his ear, he looked at Sean and Twinkie with questioning looks, but both boys only shrugged it off.

"What is it Earl?"

"_Dom, where are you?! The cops just busted up in here! They tore the house to shit, man."_

"Earl, calm down and relax so I can understand you," he waited until the boy was silent before he spoke again, "Now what is going on?"

"_Some super-sized fucking robocop just busted in here with SWAT and a shit ton of guns. Looking for you. What's going on?"_

Instantly, Dom's senses were on full _run_ alert. He backed out of the breakfast area slowly, keeping his visual sense on each exit and entrance. His ears became supersonic, tuning in to every nearby voice. Dom was familiar with this energy, he had dealt with it for many years now and was becoming a pro at evading authorities with his acquired sixth sense.

Hobbs. He knew the cops would be kicking his door down soon, especially with one pissed off cop as his ex-girlfriend. But Dominic never anticipated for his new arch nemesis, D.S.S. Agent Luke Hobbs, to be so hot on his trail. Dom hadn't seen any trace of Hobbs since they left Rio and hoped that he had given up his mission to hunt down Dom's family.

Now, they had a serious problem.

"Long story, Kid. You didn't tell him anything did you?" Dom silently prayed that Earl wasn't that dumb.

"_No way, man. I'm smarter than that. But whatever you guys are doing, you need to watch your backs. This guy is **seriously** bitter."_

"Will do. Don't worry about the house. Just be careful and don't talk to anymore cops. Call me if he shows up again," Dom hung up and shoved his phone angrily back into his pocket.

"Who the hell was that?" Mia whispered harshly as her brother stormed back into the room.

"Earl. Hobbs is on to us. Someone tipped him off and the SWAT ransacked the house. We need to find Leon and move on, now."

The family quickly finished their lunch and hailed down a cab to hitch a ride to the boat docks. Once there, they noticed several hundred cars on parked barges and wondered how they were going to find their needles in such a hectic haystack. Dom looked around for someone in charge and spotted a stocky man in coveralls heading their way.

"Wie kann ich helfen, ihr Leute?" (_How can I help you folks?_) the man rifled and Dom gave him a puzzled look. He forgot how hard it would be to communicate in a foreign country.

"Wir sind amerikanische. Englisch?" (_We are American. English?_) Dom was thankful when his sister stepped up to help with the translation.

"Yes. You must be Han's friends. I'm Agnes," his English was rough, but a hell of a lot better than his native tongue. He held out his hand and Dominic returned the firm shake. "You must be Dominic. The cars just rolled in. Follow me."

They followed him to the far left of the docks to retrieve their vehicles. Mia looked around in awe of all the beautiful and not-so-pretty cars they were leaving and arriving at the docks. Staring at one of the barges pulling in, she thought she recognized one of the cars hooked on the back.

"Brian, doesn't that look like the Jetta?" she said to her husband while pointing to the barge. Brian followed her line of vision and shook his head.

"No way, Mia. There is no way that that is Jesse's Jetta. If anything, it's sitting in a police junk lot right now."

Maybe he was right, she thought. _How the hell would the Jetta get all the way to Germany?_ The closer they got, though, she took notice of the blue ripped graphics on the side and figured it could only be a strange coincidence. But when she noticed the woman straddling the speeding bullet that she personally drew up herself and put on for her late friend, she knew that it was no chance event.

"Dom, that's Jesse's Jetta," Mia said firmly as she pointed to the car again. Dom looked closely, and even though it appeared to be in better condition than they left it, there was no denying that it was in fact Jesse's car.

"Agnes, maybe you can help me out. I'm here looking for a friend and that I think that is his brother's car on that barge. Do you know who it belongs to?" Dom hoped Agnes would help him out. He handed over the keys to the Challenger, Skyline, and the Nissan then began to look through the paperwork.

"Barge number 55. The Jetta was packaged with a Toyota Supra and a Mitsubishi Lancer, belonging to a Mr. Lucas Hernandez."

"Leon's brother is here, too?" Brian asked Dom.

"Looks to be. Let's roll," Dom said, handing over the keys to Brian and Mia as they walked towards their cars.

Just as they were pulling out of the lot, Dom's cell began buzzing and he struggled with the decision to answer the unknown number,. He didn't want to know who would be on the other end with more bad news, but he hit the TALK button and held it to his ear anyway.

"What?" he answered gruffly.

"_Dominic, it's Leon,_" he let out a deep breath thankfully.

"You sure are a hard man to find. Where the hell have you been?"

"_It's a long story that would sound much better in person. I heard you were in town. Where you staying?"_

"We just checked out of our hotel room, so no where at the moment."

"_We? Erm... you got company?"_ Leon's voice was tight and Dom could understand what he was asking.

"I'm with Mia, O'Connor and a few guys from my shop in Tokyo. They wanted to tag along."

"_Well I have a place in town with plenty of room_," Dom jotted down the address quickly on an old receipt and began heading in the direction of Leon. _"I'm gonna tell you now Dom, I got a few friends over and they ain't too keen on you. You seem to fuck up any country you're in."_

Dom gave a hearty laugh, "Yeah, don't I know it. I'm not here to make new friends, I just want to make sure the old ones still have their heads on straight."

There was a pause on Leon's end and Dom figured he'd struck a nerve. _"Look just get your asses over here. I miss my little Mia."_

"You don't miss me?" Dom teased.

"_Hell no, Toretto. Mia's the pretty one." _The two men shared a laugh.

"Well, Mia ain't so little anymore," he mumbled as he thought about the ruthless beat-down she gave Elena. "We're on our way. And Leon?"

"_Yeah, Boss?" _Dom smiled at the old nickname.

"I called your brother's phone and a woman answered. Her voice sounded extremely familiar. Do I know her?"

There was another silence on Leon's end. "_Uh.. um.. nah, I don't think so. She's one of his many conquests_," Dom could tell that Leon was lying, he never was very good at lying to the Torettos. Whether it be Dom's muscles or Mia's adorable pout face, Leon could never keep a lie going very long around those two.

_**A half-hour later...**_

"Is this the right address?" Dom muttered as he looked back at the paper again, wondering if he'd made a wrong turn.

"Holy shit! Leon really hit it big," Brian yelled out his window to Dom's as they pulled in to the villa. There weren't any cars in the driveway and Dom realized that it was because they were still at the docks.

"This place is massive. You know the kinda parties I could have here?" Twinkie said excitedly from his seat next to Brian.

"Let's go see who's home first before we start planning parties," Dom replied as he shut off his car. Dom's heart pounded a little harder than normal with each step he took closer to the home. His skin was marred by the goosebumps again and his palms became sweaty. He ignored the beads of sweat that dripped from his head as they stood on the doorstep. As he raised his hand to knock, he flinched from the contact of Mia's hand gripping his tightly. She gave him a small, reassuring smile as he knocked several times.

The door opened slowly but no one was there. Suddenly, a small boy's face peeked around the massive door, curiosity in his eyes as he stared up at them. Dom's eyes were stuck on the small boy, who's features looked strikingly familiar. He couldn't have been any older than three, Dom thought to himself as he took in his brown curls and prominent gray eyes. Something about those almond-shaped eyes and full lips had completely caught Dominic's attention. He figured the boy felt the same because his face mimicked the same quizzical look.

"Papa!" the boy squealed happily, running over to Dom's leg and attaching himself. Dom stood frozen with confusion as the boy hung on, neither moving or loosening his hold.

"Strange greetings around here," Dom mumbled as he stared down at the curly head of hair clinging to his leg.

"How cute is he," Mia cooed and kneeled down to his level. She noticed that his eyes were clinched shut, but he had the happiest smile on his face. "Dominic, he is _extremely_ happy to see you. I have to take this picture," she hurried and pulled her phone from her pocket before she lost the pose.

"Mia, you do know it's illegal to take pictures of someone's kid without permission, right?" Brian informed with annoyance in his voice. Mia had been on a let's-have-another-baby kick lately and this wasn't helping his argument to wait.

"Only if it's in a public place, and this is Leon's house," she said matter-of-factly as she snapped a few flicks on her phone. "And besides, for all we know, this _could_ be the horny toad's kid."

Her tone was teasing, but something about her words made his stomach hurt.

_There's no way I had a kid and didn't know it. I wouldn't let a woman keep that from me_, Dom thought as he continued to watch him. Dominic found himself hoping that his father was just as loving and good to him as he would be. But he wanted to pound the idiot for letting a toddler answer the front door.

"What's your name, cutie?" Mia asked.

"Ju-Ju," he turned his head to face Mia, but never removed his arms form around Dominic's leg.

"What a great name. I'm Mia. And look at those eyes, aw!" Mia was in awe of the gorgeous baby and could only imagine how great his parents looked. She turned to Brian with adoration in her eyes, but he pretended not to notice while he stood patiently with Brooklyn in his arms.

"All right; let's get him back to his mommy before Mia tries to kidnap him," Brian said, eager to distract his wife.

"Tía Mia!" Julian suddenly squealed, which forced everyone quiet. Mia's shocked eyes went from Dom to Brian and back to the boy. "Tía Mia and Papa," he said, pointing to both Mia and Dom.

"Julian! Julian!" shouting was heard coming close to the door from inside the house. Leon's head peeked out the door and his jaw dropped at the sight in front of him - Julian clutching onto Dom for dear life and Dom looking like he needed to change his underwear.

Leon raised both of his hands to his gaping mouth and looked between Dom and his son, no other words coming to mind other than one.

"Fuck."


	22. Chapter 21

**A couple things before we get started...**

**-THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH! The number of reviews I got for the last chapter was probably a record for me. I'm glad to see you guys loved the meeting between Dom and Julian. I want them to have that spark right off the bat, but don't worry! Julian is his mother's son, so Dom will have to work for his affections just the same. That was one of my favorite scenes to think up and write so I'm happy everyone enjoyed it too.**

**-I apologize if the author's note in the middle of the last chapter bothered anyone. I don't usually do it, so of course the one time I do, I get creamed. Understandable because it does throw off the flow of the story. I apologize for that.**

**-I'm not sure if Julian comes off as over-developed for his age, but he isn't. Because it was only him and Letty for so long, he's picked up some of her habits and quips. My three year-old brother is probably the smartest toddler I know, who can easily pick up new words and behaviors and have full conversations with adults without missing a beat. I just see Letty as someone who is constantly trying to teach her child to achieve and survive in rough situations. **

**Now, on with the story...**

_**Chapter 21-Raging Bulls**_

_**Diplomatic Security Service Headquarters**_

Red slammed the door to the service car that dropped her off in front of the massive federal building. She used her ID card to gain entrance to the building and stormed directly for her adopted brother's office. She was still livid at the stunt Leon pulled at the airport and she wanted to get back on the road and take down her mark, but she couldn't do that if Lucas wouldn't get off her back.

Red didn't bother knocking as she burst into Hobbs office, her face probably ten shades darker as she laid into him.

"Why the hell did you pull me? All you had to do was send me a chopper and I could be in Europe right now, arresting Toretto and his idiot friends!"

"First off, sit down and shut up," Hobbs replied from behind his desk, pushing his paperwork away. She stood defiant, staring him down with fiery eyes. "SIT. DOWN." He growled again, his blood pressure already skyrocketing. When she finally flopped down in front of him, he sighed and took a deep breath. "Audrina, we need clear heads to take down someone like Dominic Toretto. He has been dodging the police for over seven years and in that time frame, over ten cops and countless innocents were killed due to his fear of being caught. I will not let you become another casualty because you're so hellbent on revenge."

She knew he was just looking after her, a promise he made to her father over two years ago, but she was tired of her insight being overlooked. It happened in New York when she tried to get assistance in investigating her older brother Luis's death in Los Angeles. When she got the call that he had been beaten to death by inmates, she immediately began looking into it. She found that he was killed in his cell by inmates, a cell he shared with Dominic Toretto for over a year, a beating orchestrated by the racer. No one helped her, it was out of their jurisdiction. _There's nothing we can do about it._ She heard this over and over from superiors and Internal Affairs, who promised to look into the case with special interest.

She never heard back from them.

"I'm not letting Dom get away with what he did to Luis. He had my brother murdered."

Hobbs could hear the emotion in her voice and his anger immediately subsided. Though she rarely showed any emotions, the death of her only sibling always seemed to trigger an immense amount of rage and hurt. He hated to see her upset this way. Having known her for over a fifteen years, Luke had grown a soft spot in his heart for her. He bent over backwards to keep her safe after the killing of her brother. They devised a plan to prepare her a new identity as Audrina Redgrave, a NYPD officer gone AWOL after her brother's death. She transferred to Virginia with Hobbs, where he was being appointed top D.S.S agent. He put in a good word for her and in weeks, she was working under his command as a desk jockey. She made sure to raise hell about working at a desk all day and not in the field, but being hidden was the easiest way for Hobbs to keep her safe.

When her father, Jose, was diagnosed with cancer, she helped him retire and move to Rio de Janeiro, a place he had always wanted to visit. He died two and a half years later, leaving Red alone with no one but Luke. The duo grew close, and though she found him incredibly attractive, the fact that he was like a second brother kept their friendship platonic. And the fact that she was more into the female sex.

"Why do you think Dom had anything to do with that? The warden told you; Dominic wasn't anywhere near the cell at the time of the beating. He was in the yard. There are witnesses to that. Why won't you let this go, Red? It's been eleven years."

"Because he was my brother!" she yelled, her eyes flushed with tears. "Because everyone else just swept this under the rug as another meaningless prison killing. No one gave a damn about my brother while he was lying on the floor of that cell, his brain bleeding and his skull crushed. Dad didn't even bat an eye when they told him that his son was dead; he only shrugged. You wanna know what he said to me? He said he got what he deserved for being a thief and an addict."

"You have to understand Red; Jose was a decorated policeman and chief for many years. He took a lot of slack for your brother's behavior. Constantly in and out of jail for selling drugs, holding up liquor stores. He put his job on the line several times to keep Luis out of jail. His final robbery, your father decided to let him face the consequences of his actions. That wasn't an easy choice for him to make."

"Regardless of what he did, he didn't deserve to die that way. Around the time he was locked up, Dom was on track to being the so-called King of the Streets among the other racers in L.A. This guy had a pretty big following, a lot of people loyal to him, so I don't doubt he could con some punk kid into doing his dirty work. His buddy Leon had done it for years. The inmates I talked to said Dom told people he didn't like Luis, that he didn't trust him."

"Doesn't mean he had him killed. Red, I don't think he was involved, I've always told you that. There is no proof. Now, I wanna take this jackass down just as much as you. Frankly, I'm tired of being thrown through walls and windows. It's costing me a fortune at the chiropractor," he smiled, hoping to get a reaction out of her. "But we have to be smart about this."

"Yeah and I still haven't been paid for our last session. You shipped me off to Colombia before I got my money," she reminded as she held her hand out. His smile was quickly replaced with a scowl as he pulled a few bills from his wallet and handed them to her.

"Look, why don't you get some rest in the crib for a few hours then we'll start on that take down."

She didn't reply but nodded in agreement, leaning across the table to place a kiss on his bald head.

"Meet any nice ladies while you were gone?" he asked before she could leave. Red stopped but didn't turn to face him.

"A few but one in particular really got my blood boiling," she smiled to herself as she thought about Letty.

* * *

"Guys, I need a break," Leon said with his hands on his knees, inhaling sharply as he struggled to breathe. He made his way over to the patio porch to catch his breath from the game.

"I told you those cigarettes were gonna kill you," James hollered, but Leon flipped him off to shut him up.

Looking over at his friends, he realized that a body was missing. When he didn't see Letty's son anywhere, Leon began to panic.

"Where's Julian?" he whispered harshly to the guys. If Letty had heard that they lost her kid, he was going to start digging the hole he'd be buried in within the next few minutes.

"I thought he was with you!" Luke whispered back as he started looking around the yard for the small boy.

"I'll check the house," Leon flew through the patio doors and peeked into every room that he passed, hoping to find the boy before Letty did. Hearing voices coming from the front of the house, he quickly moved in that direction and stood frightened at the sight of the door wide open. Preparing for the worst, Leon pulled his pistol from his waistband and held it by his side.

"Tia Mia and Papa," Leon could hear Julian's enthusiastic voice and the words coming from his mouth and knew things were about to get hectic. Peeking out the door, he received a huge kick in the gut, partly from shock and being thankful that it was only Dom and Mia.

What he wasn't happy to see was Julian latched-on to Dom's leg and everyone staring at him in astonishment. Leon tucked his weapon away and covered his mouth to keep from spilling any unnecessary information. This was Letty's secret and she was going to be the one to tell Dom.

"Fuck," was all he could form. When he finally got his bearings, he moved to pick Julian up, "Come on, buddy. Let's let them inside. Sorry, he's overly-affectionate."

"Yours?" Dom asked and Leon noticeably stiffened for a moment.

"A friend's," he replied, which technically wasn't a lie. When Leon reached down, though, Julian kicked and screamed, refusing to part Dominic's side.

"Just grab my things, I'll carry him in," Dom said and scooped the struggling child up in his arms. Julian's arms wrapped around Dom's neck tightly and Leon could see Dom's tough demeanor slipping away. When Dom's hand moved to Julian's back to support his weight, Leon couldn't help but smile. The two looked perfect, like they hadn't missed a moment in each others lives. "I just hope his dad doesn't flip out."

Leon winced at Dom's words and tried to blink away the mental images of his impending death and funeral as he lifted the two suitcases and marched in behind the others.

* * *

After leaving the boys to their own vices, Letty made her way to her room to unpack. She had things sprawled everywhere, but it was a good therapy to help calm her fried nerves. She tried not to think of Dom and Mia being only a few miles away, but the anticipation was killing her.

A part of Letty couldn't wait to see Mia, who was like the sister she never had. The one person who had her back through everything; boys, school, racer skanks … Mia was always the one person who she could count on to not turn her back. But the last time they had spoken hadn't been a good memory; she told Letty that she hated her and Letty called her a naive brat. They were both irate over Dominic disappearing and chose to take it out on each other. It wasn't their first fight as long-time friends, but it was the worst.

A part of Letty was even anxious to see Dominic. To hear that deep, husky voice … to smell his Corona and exhaust scent … to feel his massive, calloused hands exploring her body like only he knew how...

Yeah, she couldn't _wait_ to see Dominic.

But an even bigger part of her wanted nothing more than to run as far away from this country as fast as she could to avoid the confrontation. She had no idea what to say to him, what could she? How would he react to seeing her again? To meeting Julian, his son, for the first time? _Like a raging bull,_ she thought. He would be angry, that was a given. But would he be able to put his pain aside for their son? She already came to the conclusion that she had no choice but to put her hate on the back-burner to help introduce Dom into his son's life.

Letty also decided that if Dom pushed her buttons or hurt Julian in any way, that she'd castrate him and take off for good.

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair; this was going to be a disaster.

Letty was knee-deep in stuffed dinosaurs and painful toy cars when she heard the sounds of cars pulling up outside. She found herself rushing to the window to peer down at the cars stopped in the driveway. Right away, her eyes went to the maroon 240SX that was pulling in last. It was her car, only in new pristine condition. She would recognize it anywhere, no matter the time spent away from it. It looked like someone had put in some wrench time; the scratch along the side caused by Jesse many years ago - he tried to back the Nissan into the garage drunk - remained, but other dents and dings were gone or repaired. Visually, it looked better than it ever had in her possession and her fingers were tingling to get around the steering wheel to test out it's improvements under the hood. It was hard to read from her angle, but she could've sworn the back had graphics that read _'R.I.P The Queen'_.

When Mia stepped out of the driver's side, she breathed a sigh of relief. Letty didn't want Dominic's new _thing_ to be anywhere near her baby. Mia looked the same with her long hair and thin frame, but she had a different glow about her. When she pulled a blue-eyed bundle from the backseat, she then realized why. Mia had started a family of her own with the Buster.

"Great," Letty snarled, "I guess he won't be disappearing anytime soon." She still didn't like Brian for the fiasco he pulled in L.A, and hated him for leaving her out to dry in Mexico, and she had to remind herself to repay him for that.

Their girl, who had to be around Julian's age, was a spitting image of both Mia and the Buster and Letty had to smile. Mia always wanted a family of her own, someone to dress in skirts and drown in make-up and parade her handiwork. A mini-me of her own was perfect for her.

Letty finally pulled her eyes away from her car and they landed on the sleek, black Challenger that was the first in the driveway. It screamed rugged, tough, and sexy. She instantly tagged it as Dom's car and trained her eyes on the driver side as she awaited his exit.

She didn't have to wait long as he soon stepped out, one black boot after another, and looked up at the house. Her heart started its convulsions as she couldn't stop herself from checking him out, head-to-toe. He seemed like he hadn't changed from a physical standpoint, but his lifeless eyes told another story. They didn't shine with happiness, or even contentment like they once did and she wondered how much her death contributed to that. A tall, white guy exited the passenger side and she didn't see any sign of a cop, or another woman for that matter, which she couldn't have been more thankful for.

One thing that she noticed hadn't changed about him when he turned to retrieve his bags from the trunk – how amazing his ass looked in those black jeans.

She cleared the fog from her mind and moved away from the window and made her way out of the room. She wanted to get to Julian before he did and started to ask questions. Walking through the hallway, Letty could hear Leon's voice screaming for Julian as well. She hurried to the steps in a terror, but her legs became immobile at the sight in front of her.

"Papa!" Julian screamed enthusiastically and ran to Dom, wrapping himself around his leg. Letty smiled and looked on through watery eyes as he buried his head in Dom's pant leg. Mia knelt down to talk to him, but Julian was only interested in his father. Letty stayed hidden on the stairway as she watched Dom stare down at Julian closely. She wondered if Dom picked up on their likeness, but he didn't let on, only standing frozen as Julian held on.

"Tia Mia! Tia Mia and Papa," the more Julian showed off, the bigger her smile grew. All those months of going through family photos and teaching Julian new words was finally paying off. He never had a problem recognizing his papa and even remembered his aunt, Mia and he was determined to let them know it.

Leon then appeared at the door and pulled his gun from his pants. She wanted to yell, to tell him to put that damn thing away because her son was on the other side of that door, but she couldn't give herself away. Thankfully, Leon looked out the door first and tucked his weapon away. Letty watched on as Leon tried hard not to shit himself as Dom questioned him about the toddler. Leon even tried to remove Julian from Dom's leg, but Julian kicked and screamed, something Letty as his mother hadn't ever seen. Hell, the kid hasn't even been that attached to _her_ before.

"I'll just carry him in," Dom lifted Julian into his arms and held him close as those tiny arms wrapped around his neck. She had to put her hand over her mouth to keep away the cry that so desperately wanted to come out as she watched their interaction. Dom's eyes shut as he cradled Julian close to him, rocking slightly to calm him again. "I just hope his dad doesn't flip out."

_Oh he will, _she thought.

Letty stayed cornered as they entered the house, only making herself visible when Leon was the last to walk through the door. He looked up and caught her gaze with eyes full of pity and she forced herself to look away. She knew what those eyes were saying … the same thing her heart was saying – _quit being selfish._

* * *

As they stepped through the threshold, Dom was in awe of the size and pure beauty of the home. It was surreal for Leon – the guy who Mia had to bribe to change out of three-day-old jeans once – to have such an immaculate, beautiful home. Looking over the pictures on the wall, it was obvious that this place had belonged to his father at one point.

"Dom, can we talk about the parties now? Look at this place!" Twinkie said eagerly.

"Leon, this is Sean Boswell and Tyler Clarke," Dom introduced and they exchanged handshakes. "This is Leon Hernandez. Old friend and member of my first crew."

"Everyone calls me Twinkie; I'm the man with the master plan. Anything you need around this country, I can find it. Only for a small price, since you're family. Just let me borrow the house on the weekend for parties," Twinkie began rattling off. Leon only chuckled; he would have to get used to the yappy young man.

"Oh, hush," Mia pushed Twinkie aside, "It's so nice to see you, Le. I've been so worried," she said as she pulled Leon into a hug, which seemed to last forever. Dom knew it was because she had been uneasy, and seeing him alive and in the flesh was comforting. Leon buried his face in her neck and tightened his hold and Dom's eyes went to O'Connor. He looked a little uncomfortable, but kept his cool as he tried to avert his eyes elsewhere. When they finally broke the embrace, Brian held his hand out to Leon, but he didn't accept it.

Dom took this time to check out Leon, and his suspicions were confirmed - Leon was on drugs. Growing up in such a tough city, it was easy for Dom to pick up the signs of a cocaine addict. His once muscular frame was now frail, his cheeks sunken in, his hands trembling and the timid, anxious aura his body was creating was more than enough to confirm his friend's illness.

"Still mingling around, huh, Buster?" Leon's voice was icy and Dom knew this wouldn't end well if he didn't interrupt. He knew Leon wouldn't be keen on Brian being around, but he was going to have to get used to it now – the buster was family. Brian looked to Dom for help, but he gave him a look that said 'stand your ground'. Leon's eyes moved to the matching rings on their fingers and a smile broke out on his face. "Guess you're here to stay. Thanks for keeping these two alive," he took Brian's hand and pulled him in for a hug.

"It wasn't easy," Brian laughed.

Dom started to tune everyone out once he got an intense whiff of a familiar scent. The mixture of vanilla and coconut - the only two scents Letty ever wore - was right under his nose, causing those goose-bumps to reappear. He chanced a sniff of the boy in his arms, who by the way made no effort to move or climb down, and Dom was hit with the smell again. His hair, his clothes, everything about him smelled of her. He found himself cradling him closer, closing his eyes to enjoy the moment.

"Mama mad at Papa," Julian's words snapped Dom from his trance. He looked hard at the boy.

"Your mommy is mad at your papa?" Julian nodded with a frown. Dom smiled, "Well that's not good for your Papa then. Where is your Papa?" Dom whispered while looking around the house. He was surprised when the tot poked him hard in the chest several times. Leon caught notice and dove in to intervene.

"Let's go meet everyone else," he waved them behind him and led them out the patio door.

Once there, the boys were found laid out on the grass, beer bottles sprawled out around them.

"Glad to see you guys were looking real hard," Leon scoffed sarcastically as they sat up.

"We heard you talking. Figured you'd found him," James replied.

"Whatever. This is Dom and Mia Toretto. Brian the Buster, Twinkie, and Sean," Leon said as he introduced the guys.

"You guys want in? We were about to start another game," James asked and Sean and Twink happily hopped the railing to join in. Brian turned to Mia with puppy-dog eyes and she sighed with a smile. He gave her a heartwarming smile and she caved, taking Brooklyn out of his arms and watching as he eagerly hopped the railing as well.

As Brian went in, Luke came out, jumping back over onto the patio. He eyed Dominic up and down with distaste; he didn't like the brute and the way he stood there holding a kid he didn't even know was burning Luke up inside. He was loving the attention from the boy, but he knew with Dom back in the picture that it wouldn't last very long. Dom had more rights to Julian than he ever would, but the few weeks that he spent with the boy had already made an impact. To say he was jealous of the way Julian clung to this stranger was an understatement.

The unsavory looks from Luke didn't go unnoticed by Dom. Neither did the fact that he bore an incredible resemblance to Leon.

"You must be Lucas, I'm Dominic," Dom offered his hand, but Luke looked at it as if it were covered in some skin-peeling disease. When Leon smacked him upside the head, though, Luke grudgingly took Dom's hand, giving it a hard shake. "So, how come we never knew little Leon here had a brother?" Dom asked as he took a seat, never letting Julian off his lap. He didn't want to lose the smell of Letty so soon.

"Who knows," Luke shrugged with boredom. "I'll tell you now; I don't like you and I'm not going to pretend to. You're a shitty friend and an even shittier..." he wanted to say _boyfriend_, but that would give away too much. "Human being. Don't be surprised if I don't care to hear a word that comes out of your mouth."

Leon knew the meeting between Dom and Luke would be destructive, but he never heard anyone speak to Dominic that way before and live to tell about it. Other than Letty, of course.

"Luke!" Leon started but Dom held his hand up, stopping him.

"No, Le, it's fine," Dom stood, finally sitting Julian down in the seat. He seemed to be okay with Dom being close-by. "I understand you might have heard or even seen some of the things I've done, a lot of which I'm not proud of. But I'm a survivor – I do what I have to do to keep everyone around me safe, happy, and alive. I told you before, I'm not here for any trouble," Luke nodded and tried to walk away, but Dom's hand caught his wrist. Mia backed up in case it turned nasty. Luke looked down at the hold Dom had on his wrist and narrowed his eyes. "Don't think you know me, because you don't. I'm not here to hurt anyone."

"I know all I need to about you, Toretto. And you better _pray_ you don't hurt him," he jerked his head towards Julian before snatching his arm from Dom's grasp. "And so much for keeping everyone alive," he spat before disappearing into the house.

Dom turned to look back at Julian, who was fiddling with a toy car in his hand. He smiled when he realized it was a Plymouth Barracuda; the kid had good taste. He knelt down in front of Julian.

"You like cars, huh?" Julian gave an enthusiastic nod, holding his car up for Dom to see. "I see, it's great. You know what kind of car that is?"

"A 'Cuda," he smiled and Dom's heart melted. He wanted nothing more than a son of his own to teach about cars. It seemed Julian's dad was already doing a great job of that.

"That's right," he replied, staring at the boy in amazement.

"Dom, you'll be all right with him? I'm gonna help Mia pick a room," Dom nodded, never taking his eyes off of Julian. Leon smiled and led Mia back into the house.

"What the hell was that all about?" she whispered hoping not to wake her daughter.

"Luke is a little high-strung. He knows Dom comes with a lot of heat, so he's just being protective," Leon waived off and led her up the stairs.

He knew he was taking a chance as Letty could've been behind any of the doors on the second floor, especially considering he didn't know which one. But he'd rather have Mia closer to her instead of Dominic.

"Hey, whose kid is that? He kept calling me Aunt Mia," she asked with curious eyes. Leon kicked himself – if anyone would be able to get the truth out of him, it was Mia Toretto. She was sweet and caring, but she was conniving when it mattered. One pouty face and he was swimming in her hands.

"That's a really long story," he mumbled, peeking in doors to find an empty room. With no luck on the right side of the corridor, he tried the other end where Letty's room had to be.

"Well we have plenty of time," Mia noticed that he was avoiding eye contact and knew instantly that he was lying. "Leon, whose kid is that?" she asked again. He was thankful when he finally found an empty room. He scoffed at the ugly teal walls but it would have to do.

"Mia, come on. Why don't you rest for a bit, then we'll talk?" he tried to buy himself some time, but the stern look on her face told him she didn't want to wait.

"Leonardo Gabriel Hernandez if you don't answer me now. Who is Julian's mother? He practically glued himself to Dom," Leon's shoulders slouched as Mia scolded him. She gave him those terrifying Toretto eyes and knew she meant business. He ran a nervous hand through his hair as she struggled with what to do next. Sighing heavily, he gave up. "Mia, Julian-"

Before he could finish, the bedroom door to the room next to Mia's opened, Luke standing with his jaw slacked in the doorway.

"What are you waiting for?" a voice said from behind him, giving him a push out the door to reveal the person behind him.

Leon watched as Letty and Mia stood merely a few feet from each other, neither women speaking, but staring in shock and disbelief. Mia's eyes watered as she looked at the woman from head-to-toe, knowing for sure that she was seeing ghosts. There was no way that Letty could be here, in the flesh.

"Mia, _this_ is Julian's mom," Leon was happy to see Letty smiling and not angry.

"How ya livin', Mi?" Letty said with a smirk, as if it had only been a day since their last meeting.

Before any of them could stop it, Mia fainted to the floor with Brooklyn in her arms.

"That went better than I expected," Letty quipped, getting bewildered looks from both Leon and Luke as they rushed to help Mia. "What?" she shrugged, "I expected her to slap me."


	23. Chapter 22

**Thanks for the awesome reviews! You guys light up my life!**

_**Chapter 22-Hide and Seek**_

"Is she all right?"

"I dunno, she hit pretty hard."

"_Miiia_," a voice called her name in a sing-song fashion, "Mia Daniella," the voice was sweet and familiar and Mia tried hard to open her eyes to find it.

Mia's vision was shaky and blurry when she first attempted to open her eyes, and the bright light above didn't help so she squeezed them shut again.

"All right, she's coming to. Why don't you guys head back downstairs... this might get kinda rough."

Mia's eyes snapped open quickly as the voice became clearer … _Letty_.

When the room stopped spinning, her eyes focused on her old friend who stood over her, a wide smirk on her face.

"What the fuck?!" Mia screamed and furiously backed away from Letty, nearly collapsing off the bed before Leon caught her. "Leon, please tell me you see who I see? It could be the jet lag, but I swear Letty is standing right there."

"And I can hear you, too," Letty scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"We're gonna leave you two to get reacquainted," Leon and Luke rushed out of the room to give the friends some time alone.

"This can't be," Mia stared at Letty in disbelief. She put her hands to her mouth to keep from crying out.

Letty spotted the sparkly diamond on Mia's finger, "I guess my wedding invitation got lost in the mail," she chuckled and shoved her hands in her pocket nervously.

Mia approached her slowly, afraid that if she moved too quickly that the figure in front of her would disappear again. Once she was inches away from Letty her hand reached out to touch her face, to make sure she wasn't imagining her friend there. It wouldn't be the first time since Letty's death, but this felt all too real. When Letty returned a warm smile and placed her soft, calloused hand over Mia's, a pang of anger surged through the young woman and she swung her hand swiftly, placing a hard slap on Letty's cheek.

"There we go," Letty said, noting the tears pooling in Mia's eyes. "Now that that's out of the way, can I get a hug?" she asked while rubbing her sore cheek. Mia still had quite a swing on her.

"Oh God, Lett," Mia threw her arms around Letty's neck, nearly knocking them over as she became overrun with emotion. Letty returned the hug with just as much passion, happy to finally have her best friend back. "How dare you put us through this shit? Do you know how hard it was for me to plan your funeral alone?"

"I know, Mi. I'm so sorry. For all of that."

"How though? I identified your body. I found your dog-tags in the wreck," Mia retrieved the tags from her purse and handed them over.

"You found them?" Letty looked down at the tags and rubbed her fingers over the metal slowly. They were the last things given to her by her father and she never let them out of her sight until the accident. She looked desperately for them through the carnage that was her car, but the smell of fumes and NitroMeth forced her to leave them behind before she became barbecue.

"Letty, how is this possible? How are you alive?" Mia's voice was harsh and angry and it snapped Letty back to reality.

"Sit down," she said and led Mia over to a small table. "After our fight, I went to Brian. He was the only one who I knew could help me. He owed us, as far as I was concerned. After I got in with Braga, I realized that I was tossed into the lion's pit by the FBI. They had already lost two agents at the hands of Braga's men and I was next. The end of the last haul across the desert, Fenix starts offing the drivers. I got away, or at least I thought until Fenix chased me back into the city. I ended up flipping my Runner. I was pretty banged up, broke three ribs and collapsed a lung. I guess when he realized I survived the crash, he wanted to finish me off. Stood three feet from my head and the son-of-a-bitch still missed. Caught one in the chest," she moved her tank top to show Mia her battle scar. "I pretended to be dead and he ran off. End of story."

"No, not end of story," by this time, Mia had tears streaming down her cheeks as she held Letty's hand comfortingly. "What happened next? Where have you been? And when did you have a kid? I mean, why didn't you come back home? You know I would've begged Dom to come home. He could've been there for you two."

Letty stood quickly, her mood soured, "How do you think I got in this mess? Looking for your idiotic brother. Had he not left in the first place, I would've never been in that mess," she took a deep breath and tried to relax, "And we get on just fine without him. I did what I had to do."

Mia nodded; she couldn't blame Letty for being defensive. That was her brother's fault. "Where have you been? You must've heard that everyone thought you were dead. There was a huge turnout for your funeral. The whole scene was there."

"I heard," Mia gave her a questioning look, "You should've heard the sound of Hector shitting his pants when I called him. He didn't believe it was me until I showed up on his doorstep a week later. I threatened his life if he told anyone I was alive. He got me down to a hospital in Mexico and that's when I found out I was pregnant. Talk about adding insult to injury. I tried to find you for weeks, that's when he told me that he heard that you ran off with the Buster. I had no one. Couldn't find Leon or Vince and Dom was a lost cause. So I tuckered away in Mexico until Julian was born, then I took off again."

"That had to be so terrifying for you, being alone as a new mother. It was scary for me and Brian and Dom were around," Mia stood to move to Letty's side, intertwining their hands to console her friend. "I'm so sorry you had to do that alone, Lett. But from what I can see, you did a pretty good job. He's amazing."

Letty returned Mia's watery smile. It was nice to get recognition for raising a kid alone, especially on the run from hitmen and the police.

"Anyway, we left Mexico when he was a few months old and went back to the Dominican. I stayed with a few cousins who I didn't care to know and saved up for a car. Fixed it up to racing condition and made good money. You know I raced every night, sometimes three times a day just to bring home enough money for diapers and formula. When I made enough for a bus ticket, we went Panama to look for Dom. I was becoming increasingly depressed and it was becoming harder to do it alone, but it was no use. So I settled in and got a job. After two years, I was bored with the city, so we took off to Honduras, where I met Leon's brother. I didn't find out he was in the same gene pool until about two months later."

"So I'm guessing those are from him?" Mia asked as she grazed her fingertips over the bruises and bite marks on her neck and collarbone.

Letty slapped her hand away, "And so what if they were? As far as I'm concerned, he's the closest thing to a boyfriend I've had in a long time. We haven't made anything official, but he is good to Julian and I and I _do_ like him."

Mia could tell that Lucas was a touchy subject, so she put her hands up to back off, "Just wondering. That would explain why he practically told Dom to go fuck himself just now," Letty smirked a little, "What about you and Dom? He's completely devastated over you."

"Oh yeah? So devastated that he's been seeing a cop to console his breaking heart? Gimme a break, Mi," she scoffed, "There is no Dom and I. That ended the morning I woke up and he was gone. _He_ threw us away, so don't expect me to feel guilty for seeking attention elsewhere."

"You know about Elena?"

"Where is she anyways? Back home with the two kids and dog?" Letty asked after nodding.

Mia busted out in laughter, "Are you kidding? No, there are no children or pets involved. Elena turned out to be a basket-case."

"Serves him right. So they aren't together?" Mia shook her head, "Aren't you guys worried about her turning you in? I saw that you all made your way to the top of the Most Wanted list. I also see that old habits die hard."

Mia noticed that Letty was now standing over Brooklyn's sleeping body, pushing her messy hair from her face.

"Yeah, we think she already tipped them off. Didn't help that I kicked her ass either," Mia showed Letty her bruised and battered knuckles and Letty gave her first, genuine grin.

"That old Toretto charm," Letty shook her head with a smile, "She's beautiful, girl. Buster can't drive for shit, but he makes a gorgeous kid. What's her name?"

"Brooklyn Leticia O'Connor. Her third birthday is in a few weeks. Hopefully her aunt will still be around to see it."

"I'll be there," Letty replied without hesitation. Now that she had her best friend back, she wasn't letting go. Letty felt honored that Mia named her daughter after her and she wanted to get to know the little girl. "Julian Michael Ortiz."

"After your dad," Mia smiled warmly.

"His birthday is in about a month, too. He's so great, Mi, and so smart. I thought I loved Dom unconditionally but when I wake up to those big gray eyes, I'm in heaven. I was in the deepest depression until I held him for the first time. I couldn't picture myself without him."

"I can bet Dom is feeling the same way," said Mia.

"Does he know?" Letty hoped that she'd say no; she wanted to deliver the news herself.

"I don't think so. Dom's been so rattled lately that he wouldn't notice someone stealing his car with him in it. Those two have a connection, though, and I think he knows it. You need to tell him. You don't have to be with him, he ruined that himself. But he does have a right to know his child. You should tell him."

"All right, already Mia, geez. I forgot just how annoying you could be," Letty teased and Mia playfully nudged her.

"Come on, let's go talk about that hottie Luke in your room so we don't wake Brook," Letty rolled her eyes but followed Mia out the door.

* * *

"Sir, we have three new cars arriving in the parking lot. Four males, a females, and a young child."

"Who the hell is it?"

"I believe it is Dominic Toretto..."

Alvaro snatched the telescope from the hands of his lackey and looked through at the villa. He and a few of his men were on the roof of a skyscraper a few miles away from the villa where they were able to observe any activity going on outside the home without being detected.

"Yes, and Baby Toretto and their pet cop. Should've known he'd call in the cavalry."

"Do you want us to move in?" one of his men asked.

"No, not yet. He has two weeks left. Let's hope they are coming up with my money, or I just might have to take a closer look at the beautiful women they keep around," he replied as he checked out Mia's assets from a distance.

"There you are," Alvaro rolled his eyes at the voice he heard behind him. Turning around, he was faced with his grandfather again. "Beautiful morning isn't it?"

"Why are you here? I'm busy," Alvaro ignored him and turned back to the telescope.

"Because I have a business proposition for you. Let's have a chat."

"I have plenty enough business."

"That wasn't a suggestion," Arnie said, raising his voice to get his point across. "I'm still your grandfather. I helped raise you and currently, I'm keeping a target off of your back. You will do as I say," Alvaro clenched his teeth and walked to his grandfather's side, giving him his full attention. "Now, there is a little friendly competition going on and I want you to get in on it."

"I'm listening," Alvaro sighed and lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag before taking a seat.

"There is a competition in the works in Berlin and I've already entered you in it. All of the high-rollers know of military base in Berlin that's housing some of the world's most exclusive weapons and explosives and everyone wants them. I want you to get them."

"How the hell do you expect me to do that? I would need an army of my own just to get close to the base," Alvaro knew the old man had finally lost it.

"That's the fun part," Arnie pulled his own cigar out and waited for his nephew to light it. Once he got a flame going, he sat back with a smile, "These weapons are worth millions of dollars, they could help anyone of those hot shots with business, including you. I told you Ms. Ortiz would become useful."

"I'm not following," Alvaro narrowed his eyes, unsure still of how he was supposed to pull this off.

"Jesus, I told your mother to stop drinking when she was pregnant with you," Arnie pinched the bridge of his nose before he continued, "Use the professional hijackers to jack the weapons."

A light finally clicked on in Alvaro's head and he smiled as he caught on. Use the growing group of people in Leonardo's circle to confiscate the weapons.

"The competition begins in ten days. There will be a debriefing on the race tomorrow night. Now, how we get them to agree to the competition..."

* * *

"Are they gonna be okay to leave alone?" Luke asked Leon as they made their way down the stairs.

"Yeah," he waived off, "Letty and Mia are like sisters. They might scream and maybe even call each other some names, but they love each other. Now Dom and Letty... that's another story."

"That guy is one arrogant prick," Luke said.

"Hey," Leon stopped them before they made it back to the patio. "This shit with Dom has to stop. At least for now. You're gonna piss him off-"

"I don't give a shit about pissing him off, Leo. Why are you so afraid of him?" Luke cut him off.

Leon grabbed Luke by the collar of his shit and slammed him against a nearby wall. The motion caught Luke by surprise, but he prepared himself for another one of his and Leon's scraps.

"I'm not afraid of him! I'm not afraid of anyone. But if you piss him off, he will run again!" Leon whispered roughly.

"So what! Let him go!"

"If he leaves, he's not only leaving behind Letty and his sister, but he's leaving Julian. Do you want that? For Julian to grow up wondering where the hell his father has been his entire life? He's already done two years of that and I'm not gonna make it worse just because you have your panties in a bunch," Leon could see that it finally clicked for Luke and he released his hold on his shirt, "Knock it off."

When Luke nodded in agreement, Leon finally backed away and made his way back out to the patio, where Dom and Julian had also joined in the game. Luke stood behind Leon and watched as Julian happily chased after Dom, a toothy grin on his face. Even though Dom still didn't know about his son, he looked at the boy with adoration in his eyes and he knew Leon was right. Julian loved Dom, that much was obvious. He wouldn't dare try and take that happiness away from him.

"Hey guys why don't you go pick up the cars? I need to talk to Dom and Brian," Leon said. "Don't let James drive my car," he said, dropping the keys to his Supra in Luke's hand.

"Hey, I meant to ask, when did you get the Jetta?" Dom asked as he lifted Julian over the railing before lifting himself over. Leon looked to Luke for help but he only smirked and scooped up Julian.

"I'll take him back up to his mother while the adults talk," he laughed and walked back inside.

"Little fucker," he murmured under his breath, "About a year ago. Wanted something to do so," he shrugged.

Leon took a seat at the table with Brian and Dom. He noticed the stares from Brian and it was starting to irritate him.

"What is it Spil-" Leon stopped himself. "I mean O'Connor. Sorry, old habit."

"How have you been? You look..." Brian trailed off.

"Leon, when did you start using coke?" Dom spat out with no hesitation.

Leon snorted, "What? I'm not-"

"Don't bullshit, Le. We saw your mugshot all over the web. Possession of cocaine and fleeing the scene. Not to mention you look like you've been detoxing," Dom didn't beat around the bush. "What kinda shit are you mixed up in?"

Leon sighed; there was no denying anything to Dominic. "Started a few years ago. It wasn't an every day thing, ya know. Just when I needed something to take the edge off before a race, or when we had a kick-ass party afterward. You know, it just became a part of the routine. Then I noticed how much money we were spending on it, and realized that we could make twice that selling it. So we started pushing it at the races. Shit, Dom, it's got me all messed up man," Leon put his head in his hands and began rocking back and forth. "I can't sleep. Sometimes I'm up for days. I have this terrible anxiety, always paranoid over something. And these – these shakes. Some days I can't even tie my fucking shoes because my hands are shaking so bad," by now, Leon had started to weep softly, and Brian had to force himself to look away. Leon didn't need to see his pity.

Dom placed his hand over the back of Leon's neck, "Leon, you're gonna be all right, you know that right?" When Leon didn't respond, he used his other hand to force Leon to look at him. His eyes were red-rimmed and sad, it was obvious that he was dealing with real demons now. "We're gonna get through this. I failed with Jesse. I failed with Leon. I failed with Letty," Leon had to break eye contact at this, "I won't fail with you too."

"Yeah man, maybe we can fly you out to a rehab center somewhere. Get you some help," Brian added.

"I can't leave, at least not yet. That's why I was looking for you. I'm in some trouble."

Dom sat back at this, his eyes going straight to Brian, who was focused in on Leon. "What kind of trouble?"

Leon glared his eyes in warning to Brian.

"What kind of trouble, Leon?" Dom repeated.

"There is this guy, Alvaro Koenig. I owe him a lot of money and if I don't pay him in about two weeks he's going to kill me, my brother, and … his girlfriend."

"Wait, did you say Koenig?" Brian interrupted. "Yeah, I remember him from my days working on the force. Real bad-ass dude from around here. He's wanted all over the world for everything ranging from money laundering, crystal meth smuggling, even murder. This guy is serious trouble, bro. What happened?"

Leon proceeded to tell them the story of what ultimately led them to Germany. He filled them in on the ordeal with the car and the ass-whiping he received from Koenig himself. Leon made sure to leave out the details with Letty in them, he wasn't sure if his body could handle another beating. He only referred to her as "Luke's friend", which wasn't entirely false.

"Why don't you let us help you? We came into some money in Rio, we could pay this guy off," Dom suggested and Brian eagerly agreed.

"No, I can't let you guys do that," Leon shook his head.

"You're family, Leo. Regardless of how long it's been, that doesn't change. We take care of ours," Dom's voice said that it wasn't up for discussion. Leon nodded, thankful that Dom wanted to help in a non-violent way. "Call him tonight. We'll work on getting the money tonight and we'll meet with him tomorrow. Squash all this shit," Dom said while reaching for the last three beers in the ice bucket. He passed them around and cracked his open, holding it up in toast. "After all this is taken care of, we'll head somewhere warm. Maybe Hawaii. Retire and kick our feet up on a beach."

The boys cheered and clinked their glassed together, tossing them back before slamming the bottles down on the table.

"Come on," Leon stood with a deep belch, getting a chuckle from Dom. "O'Connor you gotta show me that Nissan."

* * *

The sun started to set on Munich during the evening, but that didn't stop the guys from having a good time at Leon's villa. The boys found a grocery store on the way from the docks and decided to have a large dinner. Twinkie used his great people skills to talk up some females into attending a small get-together afterward that Leon happily agreed on. There was nothing he loved more than foreign women.

Dom and Leon were manning a grill they found in a backyard and the guys were relaxing on the back porch, a slew of beer cases and kegs lining the yard. Leon had passed around some of his dad's cigars and his friends happily obliged him. Leon and Luke took on the task of keeping Dom and Brian out of the kitchen while Letty assisted Mia with the meal. It wasn't easy and Leon was sure that Brian was becoming suspicious. Anytime he made his way towards the house, Leon would find an excuse to go in and retrieve whatever it was that he wanted. It was clearly starting to irritate the ex-cop.

"I'm gonna go check on Mia and Brooklyn. Sometimes she likes to help and doesn't realize how in the way she can be," Brian said and started for the backdoor.

"Sounds like her mother," Dom added with a laugh.

"Hey, why don't I go check in? We're running out of ice anyways," Leon jumped to the opportunity, ignoring the weird looks from Dominic.

"Thanks, I guess. You all right, Leon? You've been awfully helpful tonight. I remember you hating me at one point," Brian joked, but there was a slight seriousness to his tone.

"All of that is in the past," Leon replied, "Just being hospitable."

Leon hurried through the back door and pass the dining room into the kitchen, where Mia was shuffling back and forth between simmering pots and pans. Brooklyn was kept busy by her puppy. Letty was sitting on the counter-top being of no assistance whatsoever, instead cradling a beer and occasionally yelling for Julian to stay away from the hot stove.

"It's becoming a little hard to keep them out of here, Lett," Leon said, leaning his body the island top. "You sure you want to do this?"

"Yeah," Letty said, hoping down from the counter, "I have to. It's time to stop running and hiding."

Leon could see the tension in her body language, but her eyes said she believed in her words. "I'm proud of you girl."

He pulled her in for a hug and he could feel her body relaxing by the contact. He held her a second longer before pulling away and placing a soft kiss on her forehead. He moved over to Mia at the stove and stood over her shoulder, inhaling the aromas of her home-made spaghetti, meat balls, potato salad and garlic bread. His stomach growled in response to the heavenly smells and he couldn't wait to chow down.

Letty smiled, happy that her family was together again. She couldn't help but notice how dull things seemed without Vince and Jesse around. She was happy though when she realized they were in a much better, less dangerous place.

She could just picture Jesse up there, hanging with the car gods and Vince serenading every brunette with his guitar. Her boys.

As Letty was reaching into the fridge for a cool drink for Julian, they all heard the screen for the back door slamming shut. This froze everyone in their place.

"Let-Letty?" Letty exhaled deeply as she turned around, thankful that it was only Brian standing there.

"Hey, betcha never thought you'd see me again, huh?" Letty felt a surge of anger rush through her at the sight of Brian and marched in his direction. Leon cut her off before she could reach the stunned man, holding her back from him.

"Not really, considering you're supposed to be six feet under right now," he snapped back, staring hard at the face in front of him. Her dark eyes bore holes into his skull, but there was no denying that it was Letty Ortiz in the flesh. "What the hell is going on Mia?"

"I have no idea," she held her hands up, a slight curve on her lips. She told Letty that she was going to stay out of it and that's what she intended to do. Instead, she turned to start carrying the food to the table. "Ask them. I stumbled upon her earlier."

"And you didn't bother mentioning that?!" Brian said to her back, but she kept on towards the room. "I thought you were dead! Everyone thought you were dead."

"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, _pig_. I oughta kick your ass for leaving me out there to fucking rot!" Letty thrashed around in Leon's arms in attempts to get at Brian.

"We didn't know what was happening, Lett! We thought our agents were running off, too scared to go through with the mission. It was too dangerous to pull you out without blowing your cover. I didn't know until Dom and I went in that they were killing the drivers!"

This seemed to get Letty's attention because she stopped moving. "Dom? Dom went after Braga?"

"After your funeral, he went after Braga. We made a deal with the FBI that if he helped me bring down Arturo Braga, all warrants for his arrest would be dropped and he would be free. He was going to kill Braga, for what happened to you. We both got in the race. Dom killed Fenix and Braga is in jail," Now that Letty seemed tame, he started to question her again. "How did you fake your death?"

"I didn't fake my death," she snatched her arms away from Leon and moved to Julian, who looked frightened by the altercation. She smoothed his hair over and handed him a juice. "I got out of the accident before the car blew. I don't know who's body Mia ID'd, but it wasn't mine."

"Yeah, that much is obvious," Brian quipped. "Explains why he's been sticking to Dom. Does he know?" Letty didn't speak, but shook her head. "Great. Well I don't wanna be around when he finds out. He's gonna turn this house upside down when he finds out you've been lying this whole time. He's been through hell for you!"

"Hey, screw you O'Connor!" Letty snarled, "I haven't been lying. I'm not the one who said I was dead, that was on your boys. Maybe if they did their job a little better, this mess could have been prevented."

"Enough!" Mia's screeched wasn't loud enough to disturb the boys outside, but it was just loud enough to shut up everyone in the room. Subsequently, scaring the hell out of both Brooklyn and Julian, sending them both to tears. Brian was instantly at Brooklyn's side, scooping her up to console her, Letty the same for her son. "This is not the time to blame each other. We should be happy that she's alive, regardless of how it happened. Now we are a family again and you two will cut out this nonsense and start acting like one. I don't want anymore shit from you two tonight, or you're both grounded," Leon chuckled at this, but a stern look from Mia wiped the smile off his face. "Am I making myself clear?"

Brian and Letty gave each other one last scowl before grovelling and nodding at Mia.

"Great," Mia smiled, "Now can someone please set the table? I only have one child," Mia pointed at her husband and best friend one last time before disappearing into the dinning room.

"Mia can sure still bust some balls huh?" Leon laughed with a clap on Brian's back before moving to help Mia with the table.

Letty rolled her eyes at Brian one last time, "Still a buster," she mumbled before dispersing from the kitchen, leaving Brian alone with Brooklyn.

He moved to sit down at the island with his daughter on his lap, wiping the tears from her face. "I'm sorry for yelling. Your aunt Letty can be a bit difficult. You'll realize that once you get a little older," he whispered. "She can be grumpy sometimes but she doesn't mean to yell."

"Aunt Letty?" Brooklyn repeated and Brian smiled with a nod.

"_Aunt Letty_?" Brian's blood ran cold at the voice behind him. He clenched his eyes shut before turning around slowly to see Dom standing at the doorway with a beer hanging loosely from his fingertips, Luke behind him with his hands in the air as if to say 'I-couldn't-stop-him'. "Who are you referring to as Aunt Letty, Brian?"

"Dom," Brian could see the wheels turning in Dom's head as he took slow steps into the room. Mia and Leon returned, both laughing before noticing Dom standing in the center of the kitchen, his eyes dark and searching.

"Luke, where is your girlfriend?" Dom turned his attention to the man behind him. "Leon said you had a girlfriend, yet I haven't seen another woman around here all day. Where is she?"

Luke didn't know how to answer, so he stood with his mouth gaping open and shut.

"Dom, why don't you just relax-" Mia tried to calm her brother but when he tossed his beer bottle against the wall, liquid and glass flying all over, she closed her mouth.

"I'm tired of relaxing, Mia!" he hollered and his deep voice boomed off the walls, echoing through the house. "Now something is going on, and I have a feeling everyone knows about it but me. What is it?"

The sad looks on their faces, the way their eyes wouldn't meet his … whatever their secret was, Dom knew it was serious. He grabbed Luke by his shirt and slammed him up against the wall, holding his body nearly a foot off the ground. "Where is she?"

Luke saw his life flashing before his eyes as the savage held his body like a rag-doll, his nostrils flaring and his face reddening as he went from zero to sixty in just a few seconds. Luke looked over to the other faces in the room, who all looked terrified for his fate. He gave Leon an apologetic smile before looking back at Dom.

"She's been _here_. The _whole_ time," Luke's words were calculated and he could see Dom trying to decipher the code. "She's here, Dominic."

Dom's mind wondered back to the phone call, the familiar voice of the woman on the other end. It was harsh and groggy, but he had definitely heard it before.

Then he thought about his interaction with Julian, how the boy clung to him and even called him Papa. When he asked who Julian's father was, he had no problem pointing directly to Dom. He felt a strong connection to the young tot and couldn't figure out why. Not to mention he smelled of Letty's scent, one he couldn't get out of his head.

Then it clicked.

His world seemed to stop spinning as his fingers released their grip, dropping Luke's body back down to Earth. He moved slowly, everything became such a blur as he staggered around sluggishly.

"She's here," his words were barely audible as he tried to convince himself of his thoughts. "She's alive."

"Dom," Leon cautiously approached his friend. He would soon realize it was a bad idea. Before he could move, Dom grabbed him by the collar and slung his body against a wall, Leon crashing down on top of the table below it.

"DOM!" Mia yelled as they ran to Leon's aide.

Dominic turned his attention and blind rage on Luke.

_Luke's girl._

_One of his many conquests._

_Luke's girlfriend._

Every interpretation of how Leon described her as Luke's woman ran through Dom's mind with every step he took. He had images of Luke with his woman – _his_ Letty – and he felt his anger ready to boil over. Luke put his hands up to stop the man but it was useless as Dom drug his body back upright. He raised his fist to start pounding on Luke, ignoring the protests from Mia and Leon to stop.

"Let him go, Dom."

The voice punctured his ears like a knife through the heart. He turned his head to the left and he was positive his eyes were playing tricks on him. He dropped Luke again as moved slowly toward the woman standing in the doorway hidden in the shadows.

"I'm sorry, Dominic!" Leon cried out but fell on deaf ears.

Dom continued forward towards the kitchen entrance as the woman stepped out of the shadows, revealing herself fully. There she was, holding their baby boy close, looking as beautiful as ever. Her hair in tight ringlets, a cocky smirk on her face, her leather pants as tight as ever.

There she was.

"Letty?" Dom croaked as he stared ahead in uncertainty.

"The one and only."


	24. Chapter 23

**Thanks for the great reviews! I'm gonna switch up the POV for this chapter and maybe the next. Hope it doesn't confuse anyone. Hope you like it! Review please!**

_**Chapter 23-Bittersweet**_

_**Letty's POV**_

I carried Julian out of the kitchen to the next adjoining room, which turned out to be a small bathroom. I shut and locked the door behind me and sat Julian on the marble sink. I grabbed a piece of tissue to wipe his runny nose and noticed his pouting face.

"What's wrong baby?" I asked while tossing the tissue away. I pulled his long hair back out of his eyes and up into a ponytail.

"Mama mad?" he asked, lowering his head in shame. My heart broke that the poor little guy had to witness me that way. I always tried to keep my temper away from him; I knew how that could really mess a kid up. Like Vince. Or poor Jesse.

"No, sweetie. Uncle Brian just kinda annoys Mommy a lot. You know how when you get sick and you wanted your head to stop ouching really bad?" I asked, using his own words to help. "Well he's like that. He's my head ouch that just keeps coming back. But we have to be nice to him because your Tia Mia really likes him, for some odd reason. OK?"

He nodded and sniffled a few times but tilted his head back to give me a wide smile. Only then was I able to see his eyes clearly under the lights and they had taken on a serious change. Instead of the bright gray they had always been, his eyes had now taken on a light brown color around the center.

I stood back a little, shocked that I hadn't noticed the change sooner. I wondered if they had anything to do with his new connection with his father. I went to take a closer look at them when I heard yelling coming from the kitchen. My heart stopped (or at least I thought so) at the familiar growl.

I would recognize that bark anywhere.

"Whatever happens next buddy, I need you to be a good boy. Mommy's gonna go see Papa and it's gonna be really hard, OK?" he nodded and held his hand up to salute me. "I love you, soldier."

"Love you, Mama," he replied and I quickly scooped him up and moved out of the bathroom.

The closer I got to the kitchen, the louder and more clear the voices became.

"She's here," I heard Dom mumble as he finally realized the truth. "She's alive.

I moved into the entrance-way of the kitchen, which was gladly heavily-shadowed so I was able to watch the interaction up close without anyone seeing me. I held my finger to my mouth to signal for Julian to keep quiet, which he enthusiastically mimicked.

I watched silently as Leon tried to calm the enraged giant that was Dominic Toretto. I've seen first hand the damage this man could do, and I always told the boys they were suicidal if they ever set him off to this point. I also told them it was stupid to step in his way while he was salivating like a vicious pitbull.

I had to admit that I had always found it sexy when he got riled up. I enjoyed watching that.

But I was shocked when he grabbed Leon by his shirt and flung his frail body up against a wall, where he crashed onto a table that collapsed beneath his weight.

I hid Julian's face as Dom stormed for Luke next. He didn't need to see his father this way. Mia screamed his name, but Dom was completely oblivious to what he was doing. He was only seeing red and he wanted someone's head on a platter.

I flicked my eyes to Leon to make sure he was still breathing – thankfully he was – then back to Dom as he stalked Lucas like prey. He lifted Luke's body back up and I knew things were about to get ugly. If I wanted Luke to survive this, I'd have to stop it before it started.

"Let him go, Dom," I spoke up as Dom's fist was ready to lay down a beating.

A light bulb seemed to click on in Dom's head because he let go of Luke instantly and turned his head in my direction. That gravity thing Mia always talked about kicked and I took a step forward to match his. It was then that I could really look at him properly.

He looked incredible in that white t-shirt that clung to his muscles and I tried not to drool at the way his body screamed testosterone. Dom and I had always had a sexually-charged chemistry and I had no doubt that it wouldn't change when I saw him again. He never looked better, I thought, as I took him in. I couldn't help but smirk at the perverted thoughts that ran through my mind.

Then again, he had never looked more like a disgusting piece of shit either. The guilt of his ways was painted on his face and frankly it took everything in me to hold the stare.

"Letty?" he looked at me in shock.

"The one and only," I replied dryly.

Dom moved quickly to be in front of me, his eyes wide and hopeful. I backed away slightly, holding my hand up for him to stop. A look of hurt flashed through his eyes but it was gone just as quick.

"Baby, I can't believe you're okay," he moved to wrap his arms around me and my body stilled at the contact. I felt sick to my stomach as images of him with a faceless woman in uniform ran through my mind. "I've been so lost without you," the visions flashed faster, only now it was of many faceless women, some blonde, some redhead as he made love to them. It was almost as if I was right outside his bedroom window with front row seats to all of his conquests.

Without thinking, I quickly raised my knee hard between his legs. I heard a satisfactory _crunch_ before his arms dropped and he fell to his knees, cradling his broken jewels.

I ignored his roars of discomfort. I didn't want to react to his pain. He didn't care about mine.

"Ouch," Julian chimed happily and I tried hard to hold back a snort.

"I guess I deserved that," Dom croaked, a few coughs following.

I covered Julian's face and raised my knee again, this time nailing Dom in the face. His body fell backwards as he battled with which injury to tend to. The more I watched him writhing around in pain, the more I thought about my own excruciating anguish I experienced delivering Julian alone, squeezing a stranger's hand as I gave birth to his child. I became enraged and landed several blows to his side with my boots.

"All right, Lett; that's enough," Luke moved in between us before I had a chance at seriously injuring him. A few broken ribs would happily do. For now. "Come on, not in front of the kids."

"Maybe we should give you two some time alone," Mia said and tried to help Leon off of the floor.

"No need, Mi. This isn't gonna take very long because _my_ son is hungry," I made sure to put the emphasis on 'my'. He eyes flicked to Julian and I found myself wanting to hide him from the hurtful person Dom could be. "Why did you lie to me?"

"Letty … how … what … Baby, what're you doing here?" he stumbled over his words as he advanced towards me but I backed away.

"Don't," I put my hand up to stop him, the hurt evident on his face. "Just answer my question. How come when I woke up that morning in the Dominic Republic you weren't there, even after you promised you wouldn't leave?"

He looked away, clearly struggling to come up with a feasible response, "Baby, I already told you. I had to keep you safe. I knew you would never agree to let me go willingly, so I had to do what I had to do. I had to keep you out of prison and that was the only way to do it. Letty, I had no idea that you were alive."

"Bullshit, Dominic!" I yelled as I felt the lump in my throat growing. It was becoming harder to keep my emotions together as the only man I had ever loved stood just a few feet away from me, heartbreak on his face as he pleaded for my forgiveness. "You know I had some time to really think about this and I've come up with a few conclusions of my own. At first," I began to pace as the tension became too much. "I thought maybe you were right. I didn't want to go to jail and I would've been a lot safer if we were split up. But then I realized that was such a crock of shit."

"Let-" he moved forward again but one look from me forced him back a few inches.

"Then I thought maybe you wanted to be caught. You carried a tremendous amount of guilt on your shoulders for years. You blamed yourself for Jesse's death, for Vince doing three years for us. For us not being able to ever return to our home. Maybe you wanted to finally quit running and own up to your shit, but you didn't want anyone to see you giving up."

"Baby, I'm so sorry-"

"Back the fuck off, Dominic!" I snapped as he advanced one last time. He angrily slammed his fist _through_ the wall as his frustrations became more evident. He stood panting, waiting for me to continue. "It took me two long years to finally figure out why you left. You didn't want me," I saw the light dimming in his eyes. "You didn't want me, Dominic, you never did. The only reason I caught your attention in the first place is because my tits grew a few cups bigger. And instead of seeing the one woman who would've rode with you until the end, you saw another notch in your bedpost. The cheating, the flirting ... you had me convinced it was all for your racing persona. I don't see how I could have been so stupid," I continued on my rant, "I was just a warm fuck while you came up with these half-brain schemes to get us all killed. Someone you didn't have to worry about sticking around because you knew I'd always be there. You could continue pulling the strings like the puppet master you are."

"That's not true," his shoulders had become deflated and he had a hard time looking me in the eye. "I have always loved you, Letty. You have never been just some lay."

"It is true. I was just another soldier in your little army. I was just getting in the way, though. Making it harder for you to move in the shadows with a tag-a-long. You got tired of dragging me along, so you left without me," I moved towards him and he shuffled his weight back and forth, almost as if he wanted to bolt out of the room. "You wanna run, Dom? Hm? Go ahead, it's what you do best. Run like the pussy you are."

"Come on, guys. Let's not do this in front of the kids," Brian tried to step in between Dom and I, but as soon as his hand went to Dom's shoulder, Dom had Brian held against the kitchen wall by his forearm against his throat.

"Did you know about this?" he growled in Brian's face as the blond man struggled for air. "Did you know that Letty was alive? Was that another scheme for your fellow pigs to get me behind bars? For me to do your dirty work and take down Braga? Did you know?" Dom shoved Brian harder into the wall as his face turned beet red.

At this time, the other guys re-entered the house and look horrified at the scene in front of them: Leon's nearly lifeless body on the floor, a massive hole in the wall and Brian being held up off the ground by his throat. Brooklyn screamed for her daddy as James and the others tried to no avail to pull Dominic off the helpless ex-cop.

"Typical Dominic Toretto; only worried about himself," I yelled over the chaos and my words seemed to reach him as he looked over at me again. "Did you really think that I'd just sit around like some damsel in distress and wait patiently for you to come back?"

"I knew you wouldn't," he said, letting go of Brian. The Buster coughed feverishly as he tried to take in as much air as possible. "I was hoping you'd go home, Lett. To Mia. But I had no idea that you would get involved with the cops."

"I guess I could say the same for you. Answer me this, how long after my death did you wait to get under another skank? Better yet, how long after you left the D.R? A week? Two?" Dom's gaze fell to the floor and I knew I had struck a cord with him. "You will never change, Dominic Toretto. You'll always be the sorry, self-centered, egotistical _little boy_ I met seventeen years ago," he sighed, finally looking defeated. "I just hope your son doesn't grow up to be anything like you."

Dom's eyes instantly went to Julian as he looked him over. He shrugged James off of him and cautiously made his way towards me. I stood my ground, finally allowing him the close the distance between us. With him only arms-length away, it was easier to smell his masculine cologne and aftershave. It was harder to scowl when those deep, expressive brown eyes were pleading for me. I could feel my resolve slipping away as he tucked a loose curl behind my ear, his fingertips brushing my skin softly.

I couldn't fight the tears anymore as his hand cupped my cheek. He brushed his thumbs over the tears, wiping the moisture from my face. Dom then turned his eyes on Julian, and it wasn't hard to see the love in them.

"He's got your lips and my nose," Dom murmured and I could smell the Corona and mint toothpaste on his breath. "What's his name?"

"Julian Michael Ortiz," I replied, holding Julian out and Dom lifted him into his arms. "He'll be three next month."

"He's my son?" Dom whispered to himself as he looked over Julian once more. Seeing those two together was certainly a dream come true. Julian held on to Dom's hand and Dom couldn't take his eyes off of him. "He's beautiful."

No matter how I felt about Dom, I knew Julian deserved a chance with him and vice versa. Dom needed some humbling and it was no doubt that a new-found child would ground him.

"You weren't kidding. Mama is very mad at Papa," he whispered to Julian and gave me a crooked smile. Normally, I would've melted at that goofy smile, but I could only shake my head in annoyance. "What does this mean now? About us," he said while looking directly at Luke.

I grabbed his chin and forced his eyes on me, "This means we now live as co-parents. He really likes you, so that means you'll have to stick around for once in your life. After this shit with Leon is taken care of, we're gone. You can follow us, or don't. Your choice, but I refuse to chase you any longer. He needs some stability and if you aren't up for that, put him down and walk out of that door right now," when he didn't budge a muscle, I nodded. "As for us..."

Dominic looked hopeful as he waited for me to finish. I couldn't get those scenes out of my head, though, and all the anger and rage I felt for him came hurtling back full force. I became mindful of Luke standing next to me and he seemed to be waiting for my decision as well. I entwined my fingers with his, my heart doing jumping-jacks in my chest as I made my choice. I felt his hand give a comforting squeeze as Dom looked between us, his eyes focused on our conjoined hands.

I had never seen so much pain and anger in Dom's eyes, not since Dino Toretto died that day on the tracks. Even as he was dragged away by the police for the ruthless beating on Kenny Linder, I hadn't seen such sorrow in those brown pools as I did now. As much as I wanted to run into his arms and kiss his pain away, I refused to buckle.

"You ruined your chance with me. I can't get past that, I'm sorry. I can't give you the opportunity to walk out on me again. I won't do that to him and I won't do that to myself," he nodded sadly and looked as if he was ready to speak again, but I wanted to end this. "If you want, he can sit with you at dinner. I'm gonna go freshen up," I didn't wait for a response as I bolted up the stairs and into my room.

* * *

_**Dom's POV**_

**_You ruined your chance with me._**

Her words plagued my mind as I watched her hand slip from his. I felt numb all the way down to my toes as my eyes followed Letty up the stairs. I thought my body had began to shut down because my legs seemed to forget how to move and it was nearly impossible for me to breathe. My heart ached so badly that I thought for sure I was dying. I didn't even flinch when Luke pushed past me to the kitchen. I was entirely dumbfounded and shocked by the events that had just taken place and I prayed that I would wake up and it would all be a dream. The sharp jolts of pain from my ribs told me that it wasn't.

Letty was really alive, really here with our son, and _really _pissed off.

In a matter of ten minutes my entire life had flipped on it's axis once again. Just weeks ago, I was preparing myself for a life without children, without Letty and now I was being thrown into it without so much as an explanation as to where she had been the past few years. My mind was plagued by so many different emotions, relief and anger being the strongest ones.

I was relieved to see her standing in that doorway, wearing a smug look that only she could pull off, very much alive and well. Relieved that I didn't have to go through life wondering _what if_. What if I hadn't left her? What if she had survived, only to be arrested and locked up forever? I was glad that I could finally clear these unwanted thoughts from my mind.

But I was also enraged. I was angry, livid, beyond furious that while I had been mourning my old love, she was very much alive and simmering. Angry that my own paranoia had forced me to leave her behind, and subsequently, push her into the arms of another man. Infuriated that while I had been romping on sandy beaches with my millions, the mother of my child was struggling to stay afloat, both emotionally and physically. Pissed off that no matter how hard I pleaded or begged her, she didn't need me anymore.

"Dom," I flinched as I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Mia standing there, a expression of sympathy and sadness on her face. "You okay? I promise I only just found out today like everyone else."

"I know, Mi," I nodded, "I'm sorry about the way I reacted. Is Brian all right?"

"He'll make it. I think he's still more shocked than anything that she's alive," Mia replied and I nodded in agreement. He wasn't the only one. "But Brooklyn is the one you need to be apologizing too. She seen a different side of her Uncle Dommie tonight and I'll tell you what; if you're worried about Letty being pissed, then you don't even wanna see your niece," I smiled as I thought about Brook's spunky attitude.

"Well it looks like I have some major apologizing to do around the board," I smirked a bit. It was short-lived. "I didn't mean to lose it on everyone. I just … how could this happen Mi? You saw her body, right? In the wreck, you saw her. How could she be here?"

Mia looked baffled, "I honestly don't know. I mean, I couldn't see an _actual_ body. It was hard to see much of anything because it was burned to a crisp. I realized it was her car when I found her dogtags in the crumpled backseat. The cops later called me down to the morgue to identify what was left of her body. God, you have no idea how great it is to get that memory of out my head … the vision of her burned to death," Mia shook her head and covered her mouth as her emotions got the best of her.

It was then that I remembered I wasn't the only one distraught over Letty's death. Mia had presumably lost her best friend of nearly two decades and though I never saw her grieve, I knew it was just as devastating for her as it was for me. She had to be the first to find out, to see the wreckage that was thought to have claimed Letty's life. I wrapped my arm around her as she buried her head in my chest.

"Tia Mia sad?" I was shocked when Julian began speaking to Mia. She lifted her head with a smile before dabbing away her tears.

"Nothing you need to worry your cute little head about," she said and pulled his ponytail playfully. "He's amazing, Dom. Letty's right; if you want to break any ground with her, you need to prove it by stepping up with him. You've missed out on a lot already."

"Yeah, I know," I responded while staring at my son. My stomach tickled with butterflies at my own words. _My son_. A wide smile broke out on my face. "She did really good. He looks just like the both of us," I said while looking him over. His previously gray eyes were now sprinkled with a smidgen of brown around the pupil.

"Look at you – falling in love already and you don't even know it," Mia's words couldn't have been more true. I was already in love with Julian. He was smart, observant, and already had a passion for cars – he was more like me than Letty wanted to admit.

"You're right," I smiled at her, "How do I fix this? How do I make her see that I never meant for her to get hurt? None of this was supposed to happen."

"Just give her time. She'll come to you if she wants to work on things. It'll be much easier to do with you two in the same country, though, so please stick around," I was about to protest but she spoke first, "I've already talked to her and she's agreed not to leave for now, but only if you stay."

I nodded; my choice was already made the second she stepped out of that shadow. I was staying in Germany with Letty and Julian.

"Why don't we get him settled in at the table? Let's give her time," Mia went to leave but I called after her.

"Is this thing with Lucas serious? I mean, was I that bad to her?"

Mia smiled warmly, "You and Letty had the most destructive relationship I had ever seen, but it was romantic. You two belong together, just without the chasers and dangerous heists involved. Right now she likes Luke because he is everything you aren't. He's safe, rational, and honest."

"So what do I do? I can't let him have her, Mia. She's mine," I said stubbornly as I felt a tightness in my throat again but I swallowed it down.

"Then don't," she shrugged. "Get your girl back."

I let her words sink in as I followed her to the dining room, where everyone had been waiting to start dinner. The tension in the room was tremendous as I moved around the table to my chair, which was safely away from Luke. Leon sat at the head of his father's table, with myself on his left and James on his right, Carlos, Rob, and Lucas next to him. Julian was tucked between Brian and I with Twinkie separating Brian and Sean. Jerry was left on the end with Mia at the other head of the table, Brooklyn seated on her lap. The only chair left empty was one between Luke and Mia – furthest away from me. No one moved or said a word as nervous stares were passed around the table.

"I guess I'll say grace," Leon gave in and everyone clasped their hands together. He began thanking the Lord for everyone coming together and I said my own little prayer in my head, thanking him for bringing Letty back to life and bringing my son with her. Even if I couldn't be with her, I was happy to know that she was OK.

The loud clunk of boots heading our way stopped Leon mid-prayer. Letty filled the doorway, her eyes red-rimmed as if she had been crying. She met my eyes for a second but quickly turned away as she made her way to the empty seat. When Leon didn't continue, she looked up with a scowl.

"Don't let me stop ya, preacher man," she said with a smirk before bowing her head.

As Leon got back to the grace, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She was even more beautiful than before, if that was even possible. Her hair was longer and thicker and did a good job of hiding her face while she prayed. Her chest was visible, though, and I couldn't help but notice how amazing motherhood was to her body. I noticed a scar on her chest that wasn't there before, one that I was able to peg as a bullet wound, and wondered just what she had gone through for me.

Leon finally finished with the prayer, ending it by asking Him to look after everyone that we lost – Vince, Jesse, Han, even my father, Dino – and everyone we gained. The table ensued into madness as hands reached for bowls of food, beers, and some of my famous grilled chicken. Different conversations sparked up around the table and for once, things seemed to be normal. Some new faces, some familiar ones, but each one happy nonetheless as they chowed down on Mia's home-cooked meal. The mood was light and innocent, and for a moment, the drama surrounding the family was masked with exuberance.

I found myself unable to keep my eyes off of Letty, which was distracting me from my own meal. Her voice was loud and commanding in my head and I was blessed to know to it wasn't a dream. I looked up to catch her throwing her head back in laughter at something Twinkie said and I wondered how I made it so long without hearing it. Without seeing her big, infectious smile or even hearing her verbally (or physically) kick someone's ass, my life was squandered, a waste without the angst-ridden Latina beside me.

"Papa, Ju-Ju hungry," I was so enthralled by the aura that was Letty that I hadn't bothered to pay attention to Julian. I quickly scooped a bit of the potato salad on his plate, while ignoring the burning glare I felt coming from Letty's direction.

_Don't fuck it up, don't fuck it up_, I repeated in my head as I shoveled a tiny bit of food into his mouth. He seemed to like it fine, at first. When his mouth curved into a sour look of disgust, I knew he wasn't going to make it easy. Julian spit the food back onto the plate and shook his head feverishly.

"What is it bud? You don't like potato salad?" I asked, hoping he would answer rather than leave me guessing.

"He likes it just fine," I barely heard Letty from the other side of the table. I looked over to see her watching her plate as if her food were dancing; anything to avoid eye-contact. "Keep trying."

I tried several times to get Julian to take the food, with the same result each time. He was getting fussier each try and I was anxiously waiting for the waterworks. I was almost ready to give up when Luke spoke up.

"You gotta do the airplane. He'll only eat from the spoon if you use the airplane," I wanted to punch him in the face for even butting in, but he knew more about Julian than I did at this point, so I tried his advice.

"Come on Ju-Ju, let's land this airplane," I whispered hopefully as I swirled the spoon around, making sure to add sounds for more effect. He happily opened up for the food and I silently thanked God when he chewed and swallowed it. I glanced up to see Luke smirking slightly before turning back to his dinner.

I continued to feed Julian that way as the dinner went on. Every now and then I would catch Letty staring, sometimes even smiling, at the interaction between Julian and I. She didn't speak again (at least not to me), but shared many laughs with Mia during the feast.

I was glad those two were back together. They needed each other the same way I needed Letty. They had been inseparable since they were preteens, despite being complete opposites of each other. Maybe that's what made their friendship work, their incompatibility. The two women were like day and night, but they understood each other better than any of us. Mia could always read the otherwise perplexing Letty, and Letty was the one who pushed Mia to be strong and independent, the confident woman she was today.

I needed to show Letty just who her family was and that we needed her just as much as she needed us. We were her little soldiers, each of us easily wrapped around her finger and ready to lay our lives on the line for her, like she had us too many times to count.

* * *

_**Eh, not feeling too hot about that chapter, but I hope it turns out. I've re-written this chapter maybe four or five times and it still didn't come out the way I hoped. I wanted to display the emotions from both sides without pushing too much, too soon. **_

_**Anyways, I'm crossing my fingers and toes that you guys like this one! Review please!**_


	25. Chapter 24

**Thanks for all the awesome reviews! Special shout-out to Shawnied77 - Your long and detailed reviews make me so excited to keep writing! Thanks for the continuous love.**

**_Chapter 24- Taking the High Ground_**

The family was still gathered around the table twenty minutes after all the food was gone, each too stuffed or too comfortable to move. The conversations were light and playful, with back-and-forth banter going on between Leon, Dom, and Mia. Leon had brought up old memories of life at the Fort, and though some were hard to talk about, especially without Vince or Jesse, it was nice to reminisce on their life before crime.

"Damn, Mia girl. You really put your foot in that spaghetti," Leon smiled while rubbing his full belly. The rest of the boys agreed, each passing by and dropping a kiss on Mia's cheek as they helped clear the table.

"It's been a while since I've cooked a big dinner," Mia replied as she wiped the sloppy kisses from her face with a napkin. "Haven't had many guests to cook for."

"Well, we are all willing to be your dinner guests whenever you feel like cooking," James added as he flicked another piece of garlic bread in his mouth.

"We'll I'd love to stay and chit-chat, but I have to go prepare myself for the Twink Show," Twinkie said cockily as he stood from the table. "Germany has some beautiful women and I plan on meeting each and every one of them, starting tonight."

"Is he always this cocky?" Mia asked to no one in particular as the others began dispersing from the room.

"Remind you of someone?" Letty mumbled under her breath, receiving a kick under the table from Mia.

"All right, I'm gonna call Alvaro. Get this shit over with," Leon grumbled as he stood from the table, taking a beer with him on his way to the kitchen for privacy.

"I'm gonna put Brook to bed," Brian said as he lifted his daughter from her mother's lap. He dropped a kiss on Mia's lips before disappearing from the room.

"I guess I'll start on these dishes," Mia said none too happily as she stood from the table.

"Nonsense, Mia," James interjected, "Rob and Jerry – you guys are on dish-duty tonight."

Virtually, the room was emptied aside from Letty, Dom, and Julian being left at the table. Julian was on Dom's lap, his head bobbing back and forth as he tried desperately to stay awake. It was clear he didn't want to miss a moment with his dad as he clung to Dom's finger with a vice grip. With bread crumbs and potato salad plastering his sleepy face, Dom conceded that it was time for bed for the tot.

He looked in Letty's direction, where she was picking at her fingernails with a dinner knife. He couldn't stop the smile curving on his lips as he thought of the many arguments between Letty and Mia over personal hygiene at the dinner table. He knew she did it at times just to irk Mia. Dom knew it was also a bad habit of hers when she was nervous or uncomfortable.

"Does he have a bedtime?" he asked casually, not wanting to elicit any unwanted feelings from her.

"Haven't really had time to really drill in it. Our schedule has been a little jumbled lately," Letty replied, her voice cold and monotonous. "I'm sure he'd pass out right now, though."

"Do you want me to take him up to bed?" Dom asked, moving his chair away from the table.

"Sure. I'll find him some pajamas to put on."

Letty reluctantly moved ahead of Dom as he cradled their sleeping son in his arms. Dom tried to pretend he wasn't staring at her ass as they climbed the stairs to the second floor. Letty could feel his eyes burning holes into her backside and made sure to put a little flare in her walk. She wanted his every waking moment to be filled with regret for leaving her.

Guiding them to her room, Dom's face bore a wide smile as he saw clothes, toys, and stuffed animals strewn around the bedroom. She hadn't changed a bit, he realized, as her cleaning habits were still: move everything from the floor to the bed, then vice versa, until hours later, everything had been put back into it's rightful place. Clearly, she hadn't made it that far yet.

"You can lay him down there," she pointed to the bed then went to digging through the drawers for Julian's PJs. Dom moved to lay his boy in the center of the bed, stuffing the pillows around his body to prevent him from falling off.

Stepping back, Dom's eyes were fixated on his son. He never imagined himself being a father, there wasn't time to stop and think about that. Sure, he and Letty had discussed starting a family, but usually it was after passionate sex, both so love-drunk on each other that children, marriage, even a family pet had been fair game. Neither of them took the concept too seriously, but now, thrusted into the new world of fatherhood, he wondered how he made it so long without Julian. He was already madly in love with the two year-old boy whom he met merely hours earlier and Dom knew there was no turning back.

He thought about Letty's words as he watched his son sleep.

_I just hope your son doesn't grow up to be anything like you._

Dom prayed that she was right; he didn't want Julian growing up a criminal or a thug. Those weren't the values his father instilled in him as a child, and though he royally messed it up, Dom vowed not to let Julian make the same mistakes. He would keep his nose clean and guide him in the direction of education and a real career, not tricky heists and street racing. Seeing his boy, picturing his future, Dom now had the motivation to leave behind the racing and the heists. Even if he didn't have Letty back, he had a child now, another human he helped create, that he was responsible for and he pledged to be as good a father to him as the one he had.

"You wanna change him?" Letty's voice snapped him out of his daze, but he still found it hard to take his eyes off his sleeping beauty. He nodded, though, and reached his hand out for the clothes without looking at her. He wanted to, he wanted to soak her in as much as he could, but he would have to control himself if he wanted to break down her walls. _Take things slow_, he reminded himself. Dom sat on the edge of the bed and started changing his son into his Scooby-Doo pajamas, smiling at the choice of sleepwear.

Letty watched Dom from the bathroom door, her heart breaking to have him so close and yet so far away. After all those years being separated, she always tried to prepare herself for the reunion, if it ever happened. She thought of everything to say to hurt him, to break him down to nothing and she accomplished that. But she never anticipated seeing the agony in his eyes after she refused his advances. Hell, she never really refused anything from Dom, but those times were over.

Though seeing him so infatuated with his son did help his chances. She was grateful that he didn't turn his back on Julian.

"Are you coming back down for the party?" his voice was even deeper than normal as he attempted to break the ice.

She cleared her throat, caught off guard by his question, "Nah, I think I'm gonna head in with the little guy. Kind of a rough day for us."

He chuckled slightly and shook his head in agreement. Dom leaned over the bed and kissed Julian's forehead, smoothing out a few loose curls before tucking the boy in gently.

"Goodnight Julian," he whispered before standing awkwardly next to the bed.

Looking at Letty, he was still flabbergasted that she was standing only a few feet away from him, her mysterious eyes hard to read as she held his gaze. He saw something in those eyes that he had only seen a handful of times – fear.

He remembered the first time he had saw that look on her face. It was the first day he met Leticia Ortiz, the keeper of his heart.

_**-Flashback May '91-**_

"_Come on, Dominic. Put the Gameboy down if you want to learn anything."_

_Dino Toretto was having a hard time keeping his 12 year-old son's attention as he attempted to show him how to work on his '67 Oldsmobile Cutlass. He was getting frustrated with Dominic's lack of enthusiasm as he was stuck under the chassis of the classic car, roasting his tail off in the hot California sun. _

"_Ugh, Dad! Do we have to do it today? It's like 100 degrees out here," Dom whined, wiping sweat from his face as he rushed for another cool bottled water from a nearby cooler._

"_Yes, because this was your idea. You begged me to spend my only day off this week working on the Cutlass, so you're gonna suffer with me," Dom sighed and turned off his game and crawled on a dolly to join his dad under the car. "Where is Vincent anyway? This was his idea too."_

"_He's grounded. His stepmom won't let him out."_

"_Again? I swear, that boy spends more time grounded than he does in school."_

"_It's Marie. She's crazy, Dad. Get this; she went nuts on V because he was five minutes late getting home. The school buses were late, it wasn't his fault," Dom defended his best friend, Vince. _

"_What's the deal with her, anyways? Is she always this mean to Vince?" Dino was becoming concerned with the growing problems over in the Matthews' household. After Tina Matthews, Vincent's mother, walked out three years earlier, his father Ryan immediately re-married and moved in his new wife, a fidgety postal worker named Marie. His father didn't take Tina's departure well and turned to the bottle to help him cope. Vince, merely eight years old at the time, suffered from the same verbal abuse his mother did and oftentimes found himself sleeping over at the Toretto's for days on in just to escape. Dino tried to keep his nose out of it, but Marie was becoming too overbearing even for him. Constantly screaming at him for working too loudly on his cars, or having a conniption when the Sunday barbecues ran a little too late. She was too uptight for any man, let alone an eleven year-old._

_He wondered what the hell Ryan saw in that woman anyways._

"_Yeah, Dad. She's looney," Dom replied._

_Dino and Dominic worked well into the afternoon on the Oldsmobile, Dom learning the ways of brake rotors, crankshafts, and transmissions. It was almost lunch time, so the duo took a break to cool off inside the air-conditioned car._

"_Hey, looks like we got new neighbors," Dino said as he spotted a moving truck in front of a home a few doors down._

_Dom turned to look, spotting a woman carrying boxes inside the home. They watched as the lady and a small girl unloaded their things into the home._

"_Come on, let's go give them a hand," Dino said while stepping out of the car._

"_Dad! Why do we have to always help the new people? I'm hungry," Dom whined again as he exited the Cutlass._

"_When did you become so lazy, Dominic? Get your ass over there and welcome them to the neighborhood," Dino's voice was stern, letting Dom know that the discussion was over. Dino grabbed the cooler, which was filled with Coronas, cold waters, and even a few Popsicles, and made their way over to the house._

_As they crossed the street and closed in on the house, Dom spotted the little girl – whom he guessed was around his sister Mia's age of nine – as she was struggling to lift a box from the moving truck and decided to help. He couldn't see her face as her long dark hair cascaded down her shoulders, some even sticking to her neck and back from the terrible heat. He wasn't even sure if she was a 'she', the baggy cargo shorts and dingy, loose sleeveless shirt made it hard to tell._

"_Let me help you," Dom grumbled while trying to take the box, but the little girl refused to release her hold._

"_I can carry it myself," she replied coldly._

"_Just let me get it before you drop it," he tried to pull it from her hands, but she pulled back just as hard. Soon after their tug-of-war match, the box was sent tumbling to the ground, it's surprise contents sent spilling out onto the floor._

"_I told you I had it," she huffed and bent to pick up the toy cars that were scattered on the concrete._

_Dominic made no move to help her until Dino smacked him upside his head. He sighed and knelt down to pick up the scattered cars, dropping them one by one in the box. There were a few dozen and he was impressed by the size of the collection. He wondered who they belonged to since he hadn't seen a boy yet. He didn't even let it cross his mind that they could be hers. That was impossible, to Dom._

_Girls weren't tough enough to like cars._

_But his mind became flooded with doubts by the way she was cradling the only broken toy in the bunch – a green GTO that was now broken in several pieces. _

"_Letty, what is taking-" at the moment, the beautiful woman stepped out onto the porch. "Oh. Well hello," she smiled while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear._

_Dino returned her smile while taking her in. She wore a pretty yellow floral dress that accentuated her caramel skin greatly. She had deep brown eyes and a smile that was warm and inviting._

"_Hi, my name is Dino Toretto and that's my son, Dominic," Dino turned to see the two children both on their knees, staring at the broken toy in Letty's hands. "Dominic?"_

_By then, Dom's attention was now on the girl herself. He could see her face better and she seemed devastated by the car, maybe even scared, which only made Dom more confused. _

"_Letty, are you all right, mija?" the woman asked._

"_He broke my car," she stood to her feet, finally making complete eye-contact with Dom. Her anger seemed to subside as she drank the older boy in. He was a bit taller than her with a strange-looking fro and scrawny arms that were covered in grease and dirt and she wondered why he was so dirty._

"_Did not!" Dom replied childishly."What are you doing with all of those anyways? Girls aren't supposed to play with cars."_

_The scowl was quickly back on her face, "Girls can play with cars too!"_

"_All right, cut it out, Dom," Dino turned back to the pretty lady on the porch. "I'm sorry, the heat has apparently dried up his manners. We live across the street. Just wanted to extend the welcome and see if we could be of some assistance," Dino smiled and held up the cooler._

"_Haven't you helped enough?" the girl named Letty spat._

"_Actually, yes, we would love some help. Right Leticia?" the woman's cheery voice was obviously forced as she glared at her daughter. "I'm sorry; she tends to be grumpy **all the time**. Hi, I'm Angel. This is my daughter, Letty," the girl she introduced as Letty made her way up the porch. "We were actually just finishing up, just the last of Letty's things and a few end tables left, if you don't mind."_

"_Not at all," Dino smiled and sat the cooler on the steps. He moved towards the truck, where Letty was still scowling down at her car. He kneeled down in front of her. "Nice car. '67 Pontiac huh?"_

"_Sixty-eight," she corrected, receiving an apologetic smile from Mr. Toretto._

_He looked back at Angel with a grin, "Right, of course. You know, I'm sure Dominic didn't mean to break your car. If you want, I'm sure he'll be happy to use this weeks allowance to get you another."_

"_No, Dad," Dom begged._

_Letty smiled at the distasteful look on his face, "That's okay. That one was special. My favorite."_

"_Well how about this," he turned to Dom, "I want you to go get your favorite car and give it to Letty. As a welcoming gift."_

_Dominic looked at his father as if he had grown another head. He didn't seriously want him to replace this **girl's** broken car with his favorite, most awesome one that he didn't even let V touch, did he?_

"_Dad, that's not fair!" Dom groaned angrily._

"_Dominic, I wasn't asking you," Dino growled and Dom gave Letty a harsh scowl before taking off for his house. "Sorry about him. I think the engine fumes have gone to his head."_

"_Boys," Letty huffed and Dino couldn't stop his chuckle. "Will he be mad?"_

"_He'll get over it. Why don't you take your cars inside and come back for a freeze-pop?"_

_Letty nodded and bounded up the stairs with her box. Dino smiled and moved to grab a few tables from the truck._

"_So is it just you and Dominic?" Angel asked while taking one of the tables off his hands._

"_No, I have a daughter named Mia, she's nine. And a stray from next door, Dom's friend, Vince."_

"_Well that's how old Letty is, maybe they can hang out sometime."_

"_Yeah, I think Mia would like to get rid of Dom and Vince for a while," Dino replied as Dom jogged back over to the house. Letty was now on the porch reaching for a frozen treat when Dom put his body between her and the cooler._

"_Here, it's my favorite," Dom ground out while handing over a black car._

_Letty reached for the car slowly, despite the fire burning in his eyes. His hands clenched at his sides as he watched her look between he and the car, a timid look in her eyes._

"_It's a Dodge Charger?" she asked nervously and he nodded. "It's a good car."_

"_Try not to break that one," Dom snarled and stepped closer. He noticed the increasingly alarming look in her dark eyes as he reached his hand towards her hair. As he pulled his hand back, Dom saw her eyes clenched shut._

"_You had something stuck in your hair," he said softly, showing her the leaf that he retrieved form her tangled hair. Letty's eyes flashed relief and her cheeks reddened as she gave a small smile. "You're weird," Dom frowned with a small smile._

_Little did they know, Angel and Dino had been watching the interaction. The parents shared a knowing look._

"_Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Dino asked Angel while watching the children stand there, each staring at the other curiously._

"_Those two are gonna end up being really close some day," she said with a smile._

"_Maybe closer than we think."_

_**-End of Flashback- **_

Letty furrowed her brows at the lost look in Dom's eyes. He was grinning as he stood frozen near the door.

"You all right?" she asked, trying to pretend that she was uninterested.

Letty's words seemed to bring him back to Earth. His smile grew as he slowly made his way over towards her, stepping over the mess in the floor to get to her.

"You remember the first day we met?"

"Yeah, you and Mr. T came over to help us unload our truck. You broke my favorite car," she replied matter-of-factly.

"I did not break the car," he argued, now standing only inches from her.

His arrogant smile only made her angrier about her prized childhood toy.

"Yes, you-" before she could finish, Dom's lips were attacking hers, his hands holding her face to ensure she couldn't pull away. Letty, caught by surprise, wanted to fight him off, to push him away, but after a few moments of resistance, she gave in, allowing Dom's tongue to enter a wrestling match with hers.

Letty's hands moved to his chest as he deepened the kiss, their tongues dancing in a rhythm that only theirs could. Letty felt a rush of adrenaline course through her veins, electrifying her insides as she felt the heat between them flourish. Dom's fingers tangled in her hair as he captured her bottom lip with his teeth, tugging slightly before releasing. She took advantage of the moment to feel up his pecs, impressed by how much they had grown, along with every other muscle of his visual to the eye. Her nails scraped down his t-shirt, running over hard-as-rock abs and obliques.

A little voice in her head told her that this was wrong, that he wasn't allowed to get this close this soon. She had meant to fight off any and every pass that he made, but the sweet taste of his kiss made her head foggy and non-functional. She couldn't deny to herself that she craved his touch, his kiss, and at the moment he was fulfilling her every desire.

When she felt her body becoming mush, she decided enough was enough. She pushed against his chest, finally breaking the passionate kiss as she stepped away.

"Dom..." she trailed off, wiping her smeared gloss from her face.

"I know," he cut her off, his eyes heavy and lust-filled. "I'll see you two in the morning."

Letty watched him saunter away, her head still reeling from the lingering taste of Dom.

"Hey Letty?" he paused at the door. "It's really great to have you back. I'm happy you're OK."

She nodded with a small smile, his words were sincere. She gave a final wave before he left out the door.

Letty sighed and collapsed against the wall with a small smile.

"That fucking Toretto charm," she mumbled with a grin and shut the door behind her.

* * *

Dom was smiling ear-to-ear as he made his way down the stairs. He had no intentions of kissing Letty, he didn't want to push her even further out of his life. Dom, though, found it hard to not take her then and there as she looked sexy in her leather pants, vulnerability pouring from her unsure eyes. Her bright pink lips were calling for him and he had to indulge in the sweetness that was Letty. Dominic didn't realize how wrong he had been to think that he could move on from Letty, to let a woman like Elena take her place in his heart. He needed to prove to her that he was wrong, about everything, and that's what Dom intended to do.

"Hey – what's with the smile?" Leon asked as he spotted Dom in the hallway.

"Nothing," he lied, "Just said goodnight to the kid."

Leon could tell by the shit-eating grin on his friend's face that it was a lot more than that, but he decided to let it go. He didn't want to involve himself even more in the love drama.

"Whatever, dawg. I just talked to Koenig. I told him we would have his money, first thing in the morning."

"Good," Dom nodded, "He say anything else?"

"Nope. Which is strange 'cuz he loves to shit-talk," Leon replied as he remembered the short conversation with Alvaro. "Just to meet him at some warehouse. He left directions."

"Do you think we're walking into a set-up?" Dom could see the edginess on Leon and he wasn't sure if it was do to his sketchy ordeal with the drug lord or the drug habit he was trying to kick.

"I don't know, man. Possibly."

"I'll talk to Twink, see if we can get some extra hands on this drop-off," Dom placed a comforting hand on Leon's shoulder. At that time, the doorbell rang, signaling that they had company. "Relax. Look," Dom pointed to the front door, where James was allowing in several pretty women. "Grab one of those girls, and show her who the man of this house. Go take your mind off this shit."

Leon noticed one blond in particular with impressively large assets giving him a flirty smile, and suddenly all of his worries and fears were long forgotten. He bumped his knuckles with Dom and excused himself, swaggering over to the woman.

Dom shook his head with a smile as more women filed into the house and the sounds of rap music began pulsing from the back. It wasn't loud enough to wake the sleeping beauties upstairs, but just enough to fill the backyard and provide a kicked-back atmosphere. Dom stood watch as the boys played, each finding a girl or two to occupy themselves for the night.

Dom smiled; it reminded him of the old days when his family was all together and they never had a care in the world other than racing, laughing, and partying. When crime and evading police wasn't apart of their daily routine. He knew ultimately things would never be the same, especially without his original, die-hard band of brothers, but he hoped that his newly-acquired friends could provide the same loyalty and trust as Vince, Jesse, and Han had.

Dom made sure the boys weren't too rowdy before grabbing a few cold beers and making his way to his room, which was the last master bedroom on the first floor. On his way there, he noticed Luke making his way up the stairs and he felt a pang of jealousy hit his heart. He didn't want to think of him going to Letty's room, or even what they would do once he was there.

"Hey Lucas," Dom called to him. He stopped on the steps, slowly turning to see Dom standing there.

"Hey what?" he asked exhaustively.

"I just wanted to say sorry for earlier. And thanks. For looking after them ... and taking care of Lett," Dom said, taking the high-road. He hated it, but he would have to pretend to get along with Luke if he wanted to make any high-ground with Letty

Luke's face was one of surprise; he hadn't expected Dom to thank him. He expected more of a fight, but was glad he didn't get one. His body wasn't up for another and he wasn't feeling too hot.

"I know you two have history, but I don't know the extent of it. I don't think I want to. It's Letty's choice, at the end of the day, what she wants to do. I just know she doesn't want things to be the way they used to be. She wants a home, a real family. To stop running," Dom nodded as he took in the words that he already knew. "I won't give up Letty easily because I think she deserves better than you, but I won't stand in your way of having a relationship with Julian. Unbeknownst to me, he's already crazy about you."

Dom had to smile at his words. He noticed Luke's hand cradling his stomach, and the sickly look on his face made Dom increasingly worried. Dom frowned when he noticed just how pale he looked compared to earlier in the day. Something wasn't right.

"You alright?" Dom asked and approached the stairs slowly.

"Yeah. I don't wanna offend Mia, but I might have caught something from the dinner," he replied and wiped his sweaty forehead.

"Maybe you should- Luke!" Dom yelled and tried to close the distance as Luke collapsed, his body lunging forward as limp as a rag doll as he became unconscious. Dom took the stairs quick enough to catch Luke before he hit his head, but he soon lost his balance and both men tumbled to the bottom of the stairs. Dom made sure he was still intact himself before moving over to Luke, where he had been motionless on the floor. Dom slapped his face a few times to try to help, but he wasn't responding to the motion. Dom heard voices, but he tuned them out as he tried to get Leon's brother to wake.

"What did you do to him?!" Leon screamed as he rushed to Luke's side after heard the commotion only moments earlier.

Dom only shook his head as he looked down to Luke's stomach, where a red liquid was quickly seeping through his shirt.

"Mia!" Dom roared as recognized the fluid as blood.

Blood was serious.

Hearing several doors opening, Dom looked up the stairs, where Letty, Mia, and Brian were all standing, each wearing a different look of shocked expressions on their faces.

* * *

**There ya go guys! I hope that holds until I get the next chapter up. I wasn't sure if the kiss was too soon, but I see Dotty as having the type of connection that no matter how long they are apart, they still have a passionate chemistry for each other that's undeniable. Hopefully in the next movie we'll get some more Dotty love action!**

**READ AND REVIEW.**  
**-Kita**


	26. Chapter 25

**Thanks for the reviews!**

**Sorry for the delay. I've been in a funk lately and writing was the last thing I wanted to do. But I'm feeling better now and I hope this one doesn't suck too bad. More-so a filler chapter. Next chapter will be up within a few days.**

_**Chapter 25-Survival**_

"What did you do to him?!" Leon screamed as he rushed to Luke's side after heard the commotion only moments earlier.

Dom only shook his head as he looked down to Luke's stomach, where a red liquid was quickly seeping through his shirt.

"Mia!" Dom roared as recognized the fluid as blood.

Blood was serious.

Hearing several doors opening, Dom looked up the stairs, where Letty, Mia, and Brian were all standing, each wearing a different look of shocked expressions on their faces.

"Mia, get down here and help!" Dom yelled as he turned back to Luke, trying desperately to get the young man to wake up, but it was no use. He slapped his face a few times, but there was no reaction.

"What the hell have you done, Dominic?" Letty screeched as she was at Luke's side. She missed the look of hurt flash in Dom's eyes, but he decided to leave it alone. His personal feelings weren't important at the moment.

"I didn't do anything. We were just talking, then he got pale. I saw him passing out and tried to catch him, but we both fell," he explained as Mia checked his pulse.

"It's faint," she whispered, "Brian, run upstairs and get my medical bag. I'll check his vitals and figure out where the blood is coming from, but he's going to need a doctor."

"Gunshot! He got shot the other night by Alvaro's men. I stitched him up but I had no clue what I was doing," Letty said in a panic, lifting his tank to show the very-infected wound. The stitches had been plucked out and the wound was opened and oozing pus with bruising circling it.

"Oh shit," Mia said when she laid her eyes on the bleeding lesion. "Brian, hurry up!"

At that moment, the blonde came racing down the stairs, dropping at Mia's side to empty the contents on the floor. She reached for the antiseptic and got to work cleaning the wound.

"Letty, how long ago was he shot?"

"I don't know, a few days ago. He was only grazed, but he refused to go to the hospital. He was afraid I'd get arrested," she shook her head, feeling guilty for not trying harder to get him help sooner.

"How many days, Lett? I need to know specifically how long he has gone with this untreated," Mia pushed her friend as worked frantically.

Letty tried to remember when she had the showdown with Koenig; it wasn't easy keeping up with all the madness surrounding her life, "Five."

"OK, either call an ambulance or start a car, but it's out of the question – he needs to see a doctor now," Mia said while trying to remove the rest of the stitches that were barely holding the skin together.

"Come on Lukey, you little shit," Leon whispered as he rocked on his knees, praying for his brother's life. "You gotta get up, man."

Dom felt a sense of déjà-vu hit him as he and his sister shared a look, and he could see that she felt it too. Dom kept his eyes on Mia, afraid that if he looked down at Luke, that he'd catch him taking his last breath. He had seen enough death already in his short life – he didn't need to see more. Instead, he watched her work and silently prayed that she could help the guy pull through. Her face didn't look hopeful as she began performing CPR on Lucas.

"Come on, Lucas. Breathe," Mia begged as she pumped his chest several times and gave him mouth-to-mouth. When he didn't respond to the compressions, her eyes flicked to Dominic in fear. Dom's eyes moved to Letty, who had now grown pale herself as she clasped her hands to her mouth in pure shock. He then looked to Leon, who looked as if he'd faint any minute. He was no longer crying, but sitting in a blind daze staring blankly at his brother's motionless body. Dom knew he had to do something, if not for Letty, then he owed it to Leon to save the only blood family he had left.

"Come on, help me get him up," Dom sprang into action, and with the help of Brian, they carried him out to the Challenger.

"Twink, get in. We need the closest hospital," Brian yelled as he ran to the Nissan. Twink groaned and said his goodbyes to his two lady friends before running after Brian.

"Come on, girl," Leon drug Letty by the hand to the Jetta, as his car was blocked in. "James, look after the house. I'll have my cell if anything comes up," Leon ignored the hurt look on Dom's face as he slid his car. He wasn't concerned with Dom's bruised ego; he just wanted his baby brother to make it out alive.

Or Alvaro Koenig would be facing a new kind of hell.

"I'll look after Julian," Mia said to Letty before the three cars pulled off down the drive court.

Dominic was amazed by the new speed of the Jetta as the three high-performance cars sped ten miles to the nearest hospital. He remembered how much work Jesse put into it, but he never remembered it being so quick and precise.

Dom turned his eyes to his passenger, who was still unconscious and bleeding. He was nervous about taking a gunshot victim to a hospital in a foreign country with no real explanation on how it happened, but it was a risk he was willing to take.

"Hang in there, kid. I'm not gonna let you die," he whispered as they flew into the hospital parking lot.

"Help! We need help!" Leon was already yelling into the building as Dom was slamming the car in park.

Brian rushed over to help Dom carry Lucas into the doors, where they were met by several doctors and a stretcher. Leon followed behind with Twink as his translator as the doctors collected information on the patient. Dom, Brian, and Letty sat behind in the waiting room, knowing they were in for a long night.

Letty paced anxiously outside the doors, mumbling quietly under her breath as she chewed on her nails. She couldn't stop the guilt that was building up with each passing minute. Her eyes moved to Dom, who looked genuinely worried as he stared through the glass on the doors.

"_Had I not spent so much time fretting over Dominic, I wouldn't have neglected Luke. He was just shot for fuck's sake! A bullet he didn't have to take, and all I was worried about was that arrogant prick."_

"Ah!" Letty screamed angrily and slammed her fist into a nearby wall. She did it again, and again, repeatedly until she felt arms wrap around her shoulders and lead her to some chairs. Letty shrugged the arms off, not surprised to see Dominic behind her.

"You need to calm down. You don't wanna draw too much attention in here, especially when we just came in with a patient with a bullet-wound," he whispered and placed a hand on her shoulder, only to have her smack it away.

"Do not touch me, Dominic," Letty snarled.

"Lett, maybe you should let someone see your hands. Your fingers look pretty busted up," Brian said, noticing the cuts and scrapes on her knuckles.

"My fingers work just fine... wouldn't you say?" she bit back while holding both middle fingers up in his direction.

"I'd say so," Brian sighed and removed himself from the situation, turning to a rack of magazines.

"Hey, I know you're upset and worried, we all are. But that's no way to treat Brian. He's done a lot for us and he's just trying to help," Dom said, feeling bad for O'Connor. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't please all of the team members.

"A lot for you and Mia, yeah. But all he did was abandon me with a bunch of psycho drug dealers and get me shot. I had to live in the shadows for years, Dom. Afraid of being found and killed or arrested. Not to mention what happened in L.A. I'd say Brian O'Connor deserves his throat slit for being a rat bastard," the emotion pouring out of Letty not only saddened Dom, but it scared the hell out of him. He knew her anger wasn't directed at Brian – she just needed someone to lash out at but he had never seen her so riled up. "This isn't about O'Connor. It's because of me that he's in there. If I had been paying more attention to him and not so worried about you, then he wouldn't be in there right now. If he wasn't so worried about me getting pick up, he'd be OK."

Dom frowned, already losing his patience, "It's not your fault that he's in there, and it's not mine either."

"He's right, Lett," Leon suddenly appeared through separate double-doors again, his eyes red-rimmed and dripping slowly with tears. "It's mine. All of this shit is my fault. I'm the reason my baby brother is in that hospital room, and I'm the reason he might not make it out."

Leon's words of self-reproach hung in the tense atmosphere like heavy fog. No one knew what to say, so they didn't speak at all.

"They took him back for emergency surgery. I'm going to get a coffee," Leon quickly wiped his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, turning on his heels out the door.

"Wait up, I'll go with you," Twinkie said, jogging after him.

"I'm gonna call Mia," Brian wanted to be out of the depressing hospital.

The waiting room door slammed shut, jarring both Dom and Letty in their seats. Both were on edge as they sat in silence, nothing but soft music filled the gloomy room. Dom wanted to reach out for her, to hold her hand, but thought it was probably safer to keep his hands in his lap. He watched as she stood from the chair and moved to the window, staring off numbly at the dark city. Her body language said it all; she was tired, exhausted from the disaster that she called a life. Dom felt her pain – he was just as tired and worn down. Now that she was back, he wanted nothing more than to take her and his son and settle down somewhere, but Dom knew it was a helluva dream. Letty hated his guts at the moment, but he would still try to comfort her.

Letty stood with her arms crossed at the window sill as she looked out, darkness stretching as far as she could see with a few city lights sprinkled over the town. Germany was everything she pictured it would be – modern, romantic, leisurely, and beautiful. As much as she tried to think about all the things she wanted to do and see while in the enchanting European city, she couldn't get Luke off her mind. Regardless of what Dom or Leon said, she still held a ton of blame on her shoulders for Lucas being hurt. Along with Julian, Luke had been the light in her dark life as of late and she wasn't sure if she could handle him being hurt on account of her. Aside from the few church outings with the Torettos as children, Letty didn't consider herself very religious but she was silently praying that things wouldn't take a turn for the worse.

"Did you know Leon was hooked?" Dom broke the silence as he moved to the opposite end of the window, making sure to put plenty of distance between himself and Letty.

Letty hesitated for a moment, unsure if she was calm enough to talk to Dom without wanting to kill him. She was already getting enough suspicious looks from the staff and some passing patrons for her temper. Instead, she sighed and crossed her arms defensively, giving him a small nod.

"I dunno how he got down that road. We've never been into that stuff," Dom shook his head, still floored by his friend's dangerous habit. He had never dealt with drug abuse in his household or circle of friends, but he saw how it could completely ravage other families. Dom never imagined it would hit so close to home.

"Survival," Letty retorted, causing Dom to look hard at her, but her gaze was still out the window.

"Survival?"

"I don't like it just as much as you, but you gotta understand, Leon was dealt a shitty hand. He was devastated by the loss of Jesse, probably more than all of us. He never really got over that, not to mention losing his entire family. He chose living straight over us, and now I think he's feeling like shit over it. That was a hard choice for him to make. I think he was trying to start over, and the overwhelming stress just became too much. He just got pushed too far into it and now he can't figure out how to get out."

"You talk like you've been there."

"I have. Not with cocaine, obviously, but I understand his pain. He felt alone, lost. Sometimes racing isn't enough to take away years of agony and loneliness."

Dom's heart shattered at the sound of sadness in her words and the lost look in her eyes.

"That's no excuse, Lett. No one forced that trash up his nose," Dom replied.

"That's true. But the guy needed a way to cope, unfortunately it was with an addictive drug. I'm just glad it wasn't putting a bullet in his own head or driving his car into a wall."

As soon as the words left her mouth, she instantly regretted them. Letty squeezed her eyes shut, mentally kicking herself for her slip-up.

"Shit, I'm sorry, Dominic," Letty quickly apologized, but he held his hand up to stop her.

"It's all good. I know what you meant," he gave a small smile. "He agreed to go to rehab, after all this shit is over with. Brian and I are going to pay for it."

Letty gave an appreciative nod, "Wow. That's generous. Must've been a nice paycheck off that safe heist."

Dom sighed. He knew this conversation would be coming, "It wasn't in my intentions when I went Rio."

"That sure didn't stop you."

"After Mia and O'Connor got me off that transport bus, we had to get as far away as possible. Vince and his family had a place in Rio. We were up against a wall. We were doing this joint-heist with some hook-up Vince found. It was about five high-priced cars that were being impounded by ATF agents that we were to retrieve and get back to it's owner. He really only wanted one – a Ford GT. It had a chip in it revealing the location of ten different cash houses, each housing ten million dollars in cash. He pissed us off, so we decided to take it," he shrugged with a goofy smile. This time she gave in, giving a small smile in return.

"I wonder whose master plan that was," Letty added.

"Well no one was certainly walking away."

"And just how many of them were you asking to? Why didn't you up and leave them?" her eyes were staring straight into Dom's soul and he forced himself to look away. He couldn't stand to see the anguish behind those beautiful eyes. "What was so bad about me that you had to leave?"

Before he could answer, a throat cleared in the room, "Are you the family of Jacob Smith?"

They turned to see the doctor, a tall male with salt and pepper hair and piercing blue eyes. He wore a white robe over bloody scrubs and gloves covering his hands. Behind him was Leon, Twinkie, and Brian.

"We are. I'm his brother, John," Leon spoke up, the doctor turning to him. Leon's face grew horrified at the sight of the gruesome blue scrubs the doc was wearing. "Is he all right?"

"I'm Dr. Abel Goddard. Yes, not to worry," everyone let out audible sighs of relief. "Your brother is very lucky man," the doctor's German accent was heavy and his English was broken, but they had no trouble mistaking his happy smile. "We pulled part of a bullet casing from his abdomen. This caused quite the bacterial infection that was beginning to spread rapidly due to his injury going untreated. Thankfully for him we were able to remove the object and the damaged tissues. Now, he's not out of the clear just yet. We want to hold him and keep him on antibiotics to make sure that the infection doesn't come back."

"Thank God," Leon sighed. "Can we see him?"

"I have a few questions first. When a gunshot victim comes in, we are required to alert the authorities and begin an investigation. Can I ask what happened?"

Everybody froze, unsure of how to answer the question. The police would be there, asking questions, which posed a lot of problems for the group of fugitives.

"We got mugged," Letty stepped up to the plate, "He's my fiance. We were at a gas station in Nicaragua on vacation and the place was held up. He's so damn stubborn that he refused to go to the hospital. He was treating me and he didn't want to ruin our only weekend away," Letty put on a show for the doctor that didn't seem to merit even a second look. Leon gave her a quirked brow and a smile, and she shrugged in return.

"Sounds like a good man. A little dumb, but good," the doc smile, oblivious that he was making the awkward situation worse. "Lucky too," he smiled brightly in her direction.

Letty didn't bother chancing a glance in Dominic's direction as the doctor flirted shamelessly with her.

"Can we see the patient now, sir?" Dom wanted to slap the smile off the man's face, but kept his cool.

"Sure. I'll just need Missus...?" he trailed off.

"Diaz. Arletta Diaz," Letty followed in Leon's footsteps and gave him the name on her fake ID.

"Well I'll need a statement from you and we'll..." Letty zoned out when the doc flipped open his clipboard. The sleeve of his robe pulled up, revealing part of a tattoo on his hand. She couldn't tell what it was, but it was something he didn't want them to see because he quickly yanked the fabric back down. "Do you mind?" he snarled once he caught her staring.

"My bad," she frowned at his crispness. "Can we see him now?"

"Yes but not for long. Mr. Smith is resting and is very weak because of the morphine and he needs his rest," he warned before leading them out of the waiting room.

Letty kept her eyes on the doctor; something wasn't right about him. She watched as he rid his hands of the messy gloves and tried to quickly shoved his hands in his coat pockets, but not before she got a good look at the black widow spider inked on his hand.

Chills covered Letty's body as she remember where she had seen a similar tattoo – on the bellhop in Honduras and many of Alvaro's henchmen. _Could it be a coincidence?_ She wondered to herself. _Maybe, but he got pretty defensive when I looked at it_, she thought. She decided to drop it when they reached Luke's room.

"You have about fifteen minutes then you'll need to leave," the doc said while holding the door open for them.

"Thanks Doc," Leon said while shaking his hand. Letty eyed the doc up as she passed him on her way in, her blood chilling at the slimy look in his eyes. She could've sworn he winked at her before shutting the door.

"Oh Lukey," Leon whimpered as he approached the bed that held his younger brother. Luke was hooked up to several machines, some beeping, some blinking. Leon smoothed back his hair and laid his head on Luke's chest as he wept softly. "I'm so sorry man. I'm sorry you got dragged into all of this shit."

Letty watched on with watery eyes. Luke looked frail, fragile as he lay motionless in the bed. She watched his chest move up and down slowly, ensuring her that he was still with them. She decided to stand in the shadows and give Leon a moment with his brother.

"You okay, Letty? You looked spooked," Twinkie's soft voice asked quietly, but the eerie silence of the room made his voice boom off the walls, bringing everyone's attention to her.

"Yeah, I just hate hospitals," she replied, never taking her eyes off of the beeping machine. It showed a vibrant green line that indicated a steady and normal heartbeat and pulse, which helped her relax. He still looked pale, but he was alive and would be getting better. That was all Letty could ask for.

"What do we do about this?" Leon asked, never taking his eyes off Luke.

"What do you mean, Le? We're taking care of all of this shit tomorrow," Dom answered. He had a feeling Leon wasn't talking about money though. "He's gonna live, Leon. This is over."

Leon shook his head with dissension, "No! This doesn't get settled with me handing over half of a million dollars and my brother in the hospital hooked to these damn machines. He has to pay for this Dominic."

Leon was now looking at Dom expectantly. Dom could feel Letty's piercing gaze on him but he chose to hold Leon's stare.

"What do you suggest we do, Leon? Kill him?" When Leon looked on with determined eyes, they all knew that it was his thought.

"No way!" Brian interjected before Leon could. "This is one of the most dangerous, sadistic fuckers out there. We aren't kicking up a shit storm in his country when he probably has twice the pull that Hernan Reyes did! We aren't killing anybody, Dominic!"

"He's right, Dom," Letty spoke up, looking at him out the corner of her eye. "That's too much heat. We have families now to think about."

"And Luke is my family," Leon's voice was harsh and understandably angry, his eyes burning with hate.

Dominic did not like that look.

"I'm going after Alvaro's head. With or without you."

The ominous threat shook Dom to the core.

"Visiting hours are over. You can return at 11 A.M for an update," Dr. Goddard said as he slipped into the room.

Leon kissed Luke's forehead before storming past the others out the door.

Letty ran a shaky hand through her hair and turned to Luke. She approached his bedside and took his hand in hers. Dominic watched on as she kissed his knuckles then moved to kiss his lips gently. Dom forced himself to turn away, frustration burning deep inside of him.

He didn't care the reason – no man was supposed to get that close to _his_ Letty. No man was allowed to share her lips, or her body, not like she had with him. Dom was sad to say he was actually grateful that Luke was already in that bed.

He couldn't say that Luke wouldn't end up there had the kiss been under different circumstances.

He could feel the pitiful looks coming from Brian and Twink, but chose to ignore them.

"I'll be out in the car," Dom couldn't have left the room faster without another word.

Dom exhaled deeply as he pushed open the exit doors, thankful for the fresh air. He heard the screeching of tires and lifted his head to see the taillights of the Jetta peeling out of the lot.

"Great," he mumbled after yanking open the door to his car. "Just fucking great."

After a few silent minutes of waiting and sulking, Dom heard light tapping on his passenger window. Looking over, he saw Brian standing there and rolled down the window.

"What?" he barked.

"Leon take off?" Dom nodded. "I could squeeze her in, if you wanna avoid the uncomfortable car ride you're about to have."

"No. She's already cranky and being cramped in a car with you ain't a good idea," Brian saw his point and shook his head in agreement. "She can ride with me."

"What do we do about Leon? Dom, I'm not sure about this but I know I don't want to leave Mia as a single parent because Leon wants to play cowboy. You need to think about that too."

Dom nodded and rolled his window up without responding. He was tired of hearing Brian's negativity, no matter how right he was. His mind avoided Leon's threat and traveled back to Letty and Luke. Seeing her so emotionally involved with Luke really made Dom think. Had he really broken her so much that she found solace with this young guy, a guy who was nothing like her? A guy who knew nothing about the real Letty he knew and loved?

It was obvious the Leticia he saw in that room was completely different than the woman he once knew. She was soft, vulnerable with her emotions on her sleeve for all to observe and ridicule. Yet, she didn't seem to mind as her only worry was the young man in the bed and his well-being. Dom knew he caused this, and he would just have to get used to sharing her.

For now.

He was drawn from his thoughts at the sight of Letty stepping out of the hospital. Her eyes scanned the lot – almost as if she was looking for someone - and when she realized it was only Dom left, she sauntered to the car slowly. He reached over and opened the door for her, his insides tingling at the thought of having her in his car again. It had been a long while since Letty had been the one riding shotgun with him, but after starting back on the road, he had to admit it felt nice.

The two didn't speak, the atmosphere was way too intense for words. Instead, Dom rolled down the windows and allowed the nightlife of Munich to enter the car, along with cool breeze that seemed to help him relax. The tiny slither of moonlight coming through the window enlightened her face and chancing a glance in her direction, he could see tears slowly falling down her eyes. She wasn't crying hysterically, but it was clear that her heart was hurting. She held her head up on her palm and used her elbow to prop her up against the window. Her long hair was flowing out the window, allowing him to see her face fully, and he wished he knew what to say to take away her pain.

"Hey, the Jetta looks like she's riding smooth. You do that?" he settled for a safe subject.

"Yeah," she seemed to snap out of her daze. "I needed something to keep me sane, a little normalcy while I was traveling. It was a bitch dealing with those bullet-holes and she still needs some beauty work on the inside, but she's a beast. I just hope I did her justice."

"I'm sure the Scientist would be proud," Dom said and she gave him a small smile.

"What about the Nissan? Was that you?" she asked, remembering the beautiful condition her first car was in.

"Yeah, I hope you don't mind. Tore her down and rebuilt her from the ground up."

"Hector told me he thought it got impounded. You did that?" he nodded over at her. "Why? She was just fine."

"True, but I had a lot of free time... and it was the only thing I had left of yours. It was the only thing that kept me sane, at least for a few weeks," Letty finally met his deep stare. His face had aged some, with worry lines crinkling his forehead and crows feet at the corner's of his eyes, but those eyes still poured devotion and love.

She felt herself being pulled in to him, so she looked away. That's when she noticed that they were parked back at the villa.

"Thanks, for everything tonight. Regardless of the shit that I said, you saved his life. Thank you," she said sincerely with a smile. He nodded with an even wider grin. "What?"

"I think O'Connor is the one with the messy pants. He never could handle your attitude," Letty sighed and rolled her eyes. That was Dom's way of asking her to apologize to the Buster.

"I'll go say sorry to the punk. Doesn't mean I like him," Letty replied while slipping out of the car and leaving Dom alone in his car. He chuckled softly and exited the car after her.

"Welcome back, Lett."

* * *

Dr. Goddard waited until the visitors were out of the hospital before he quickly made his way to his office. He shut and locked the door behind him as he retrieved his cell phone from his pocket. He hit the speed-dial button and waited patiently for the other line to pick up.

"_Yes Abel."_

"It's definitely Toretto and O'Connor. They are all using aliases. Hernandez's brother is admitted now."

"_What did they say happened?"_

"An armed robbery gone wrong."

"_Good. Leonardo is being smart by keeping his mouth shut. What is the brother's prognosis?"_

"Another day or two and he would've been dead. He's alive for now."

_"OK. Keep him alive. He's about to become our bargaining chip."_


	27. Chapter 26

**Thanks for the reviews!**

_**Chapter 26-Discomfort**_

It was well into the early morning and Red was still awake, elbow-deep in newspaper articles, Lompoc prison records, and Dominic Toretto's criminal wrap-sheet in her tiny room at the home that she shared with Luke. She took the day off from work to cool off and get her ducks in a row. Her mind was too wrapped in the Leon ordeal and she wanted to get back to what brought her to the force in the first place – Luis' death.

She felt incomplete; Red knew she would never be able to do the job she agreed to unless she was able to gain some closure from her brother's brutal murder. She knew there wasn't much hard evidence against Dominic Toretto, but at this point – over a decade later – he was still the only lead she had left. There were no witnesses who came forward about the attack, but one of the alleged attackers were caught on camera and eventually identified as a prisoner by the name of Thomas Saxton. According to his confession, he and two other men were paid off by another inmate, who would remain nameless, to attack Luis Rodriguez. Saxton refused to identify the other men involved or give up information on the conspirator of the beating, so he was solely charged with manslaughter, which added on another forty years to his sentence. Red couldn't understand why these three men were willing to add more charges and even more time tacked on to their prison stints to protect someone else.

Red scanned over a list of Saxton's associates in Lompoc, and while Dominic Toretto wasn't listed, another name on the list caught her attention.

Joseph Linder.

"I see you're feeling better," Hobbs peeked his head in the door and smiled at her messy work station. There was a ridiculous amount of paperwork surrounding her and her coffee pot was nearly empty. "They told me you called in sick."

"Yeah. I wanted to sleep in, get my bearings together. I've been kinda on edge lately," she replied with a sigh. He took that as his cue to step inside and start a fresh pot of joe for her.

"Kinda?" he teased and she flipped him off. "The guys and I are going out for drinks. Give us a little break from the chaos. We could use a designated driver."

"If that's your way of inviting me out, then no. Have one of your recruits do it. Besides, I have too much work to go over. Hey, have you ever heard of a guy named Joseph Linder? It sounds familiar but I can't place it."

Hobbs came over and filled her mug with steaming coffee, taking a look at the list of names in front of her.

"The man Dominic Toretto nearly beat to death, his name was Kenny Linder. Maybe a relative?"

"Strange. What are the chances that he is listed as a known associate of one of the men who killed my brother?" Red asked, truly confused on the role this mystery man played in the attack.

"Not a clue. Why don't you take your mind off that stuff for a while and come out with us?" Hobbs tried again. Ever since her return, it was obvious that she was filled to the brim with stress, but her pride wouldn't let her take a break. That was the type of person she was: hard work and hard knocks.

"I wish I could, but I wanna do some research on these two. These men know what happened, and why. I have to figure it out," her hazel eyes were pleading with him, and as always, he caved, planting a kiss on her head before moving to the door.

"Alright, but don't stay up too late. You had too much fun in Colombia; we gotta get that body back in shape. Looks like you didn't work out once while you were gone," Hobbs teased and ducked his head out of the room just in time to avoid the shoe coming towards his head.

"Dick!" she yelled, but he was long gone. Red sighed heavily and downed her coffee while staring at the mugshots of Saxton and Linder. "It's clear I'm not going to get anything done here. Los Angeles, here I come."

* * *

The following morning at the villa was a grim, quiet one. Brian, Mia, and Brooklyn were the first ones to emerge from bed, with Mia and her little helper beginning on breakfast and Brian gathering his part of the money to pay off Alvaro. With the help of his currency counter, he counted and bagged 250,000 dollars in crisp bills in a black duffel and carried it to the kitchen.

"Are you sure we can afford it?" Mia asked as he sat the bag on the counter and moved to sit next to his daughter.

"I told you already not to worry, Mi," he said as she moved to fill his coffee mug. He yanked her down to his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist. "We still have plenty of money. And besides, with all the shit going on with Leon, he could use the help."

"You think this will help you get in his good graces, huh?" Mia asked with a smile.

"Something like that. You know, we could always go back to bed and I can work on getting into your good graces," Brian grinned and wiggled his eyebrows, receiving a hard slap from Mia.

"Pervert! What did I tell you about talking like that in front of her?"

"Oh relax. You don't understand nothing Daddy's saying, do you?" he asked while picking up his daughter. She shook her head and gave him a smile that matched his own. He gave a wet kiss and sat her down, watching her run off after her puppy. "So, what's the deal with Lett and Luke? I mean the way she was all over him last night, I'd swear they were in love."

"I am not gossiping with you about those two," Mia shook her head, "That is none of our business and we're staying out of it."

"Oh, come on, Mia. Is it serious? Because I saw two Letty's last night; one who was really into Luke and one who was begging for Dom. You know, Dom isn't going to let them be happy. He and Letty are meant to be together; I don't know anyone who could put up with those two other than each other. And Julian? That kid is crazy about Dominic. There is no way that Letty can let that go."

"Like I told Dom, she likes Luke because he's a safe. He's not expecting anything from her and right now, he's treating her better than Dom has. He might not be Dominic, but at the moment, that's exactly what she wants. He's not expecting her to be strong, or tough, or some kick-ass street-racer or mechanic. Luke likes her for who she is – whoever that may be at the moment – but he cares for her and he wants her. That's what Letty needs right now. Just someone to show her they care."

"So, what you're saying is Letty is clinging to Luke because he isn't pushing her away … the way that Dom did? She wants him because he wants her?"

"It's not rocket science, Pretty Boy," Mia smirked at her husband. "But yes. It's not love. Let me let you in on a little secret Brian. A woman doesn't need love, only a man needs to be loved. A woman needs to be _wanted_."

Brian thought long and hard about Mia's words. He knew they would stick with him, even if he didn't completely understand them.

"Well I hope they figure it out soon. I can't stand to watch him paw at her like a lost kitten. It's sad."

"Yeah, well so is gossiping like a woman. Go wake the others. I'll go get Letty," Mia smirked and made her way to the stairs.

Mia knocked a few times, hoping Letty was already awake. She hated dragging the Latina from bed back in the day and she can imagine Letty's stubbornness hadn't changed. When she didn't get an answer, she turned the knob and pushed the door open, smiling at the sight of Letty lying on her stomach with Julian next to her, his tiny arm thrown over her waist as he slept soundly. Mia desperately wanted to retrieve her camera and capture the adorable moment, but instead she chose to move around the bed to wake Letty.

"Chica, it's time to wake up," Mia nudged her arm softly.

What happened next took Mia by surprise. Letty swiftly propped up, her hand pointing a pistol directly at Mia's face. Mia stood frozen, terrified as her best friend of two decades pointed a weapon between her eyes. Letty held the weapon for a few more seconds before dropping her arm.

"Sorry, girl. Forgot where I was for a second," Letty murmured before flicking the safety back on her weapon.

"Letty, where did you get the gun?" Mia asked with a shaky voice. She never thought for a moment that her friend would pull the trigger, but it did scare the hell out of her. "Why the hell do you need a gun?"

"It's not a big deal, Mi. I just keep it for protection," Letty shrugged, crawling from the blankets and making her way to the bathroom, the gun hanging loosely from her fingers. She sat it on the sink and turned on the scorching water, noticing her hands were shaking tremendously as she tossed water on her face.

"Protection from who? Jesus, Letty. You're shaking like a leaf," Mia acknowledged as she stood in the bathroom doorway. Letty avoided eye-contact as she brushed her teeth and yanked off her tank-top. She brushed past Mia on her way out and stood by the dresser, searching for a clean shirt. "Letty."

"What, Mia?" she snapped, shoving the drawer shut.

"What are you so afraid of? Braga is in prison. Fenix is dead. Nobody can hurt you-"

"Anybody can hurt me, Mia. _Anyone_. I just choose to be one of those woman who won't stand for it any longer."

Mia watched as Letty dressed in loose cargo pants, a black tank and her combat boots and tucked the gun in her waistband. Looking at her, she was starting to understand what Brian meant by _two_ Letty's. The old Letty never needed a gun, she wasn't afraid of anything.

"Have you used it?"

"Mia, come on. You came to wake me, I'm awake," Letty didn't want to see the look on her best friend's face, so she moved to wake Julian.

"Answer the damn question, Leticia," Mia raised her voice, stopping Letty in her tracks. "Have you fired that gun at someone?"

Letty whirled around to face Mia, looking her dead in the eye, "Yes."

Mia's eyes became horrified, but she kept her composure. "Are they dead?"

"Yes. I did what I had to do to protect-"

"Don't give me that shit, Lett! You murdered someone! Nothing you have to say justifies that!" Mia yelled, unaware that Julian had been woken from the yells. "Brian was right. I have no clue who you are anymore."

Letty moved to stand in Mia's face. She pointed her finger back at Julian in the bed, "The fact that he, Luke and myself are still breathing justifies that," Letty snarled. "Mia, over a week ago I had never fired a weapon in my life. Six days ago, I killed three men who were sent to hurt me and my child. I don't give a shit what high horse you're on. Had it been you and Brooklyn out there, you would've done the same thing. _Anything _to protect your child."

"You're right; I would have done what I had to. But killing someone would have been last on that list," Mia tried to storm out but Letty grabbed her elbow, halting her movement.

"I don't regret anything that I've done thus far. It's kept us alive and safe. And Brian _was_ right – I'm not the same woman I was before," Letty moved to lift Julian from the bed. His hands clasped around her neck and he laid his head on her shoulder. "I barely know who I am anymore."

The words gave Mia chills as soon as they left her mouth. Letty left the room, leaving Mia to wonder just what the other woman experienced in nearly three years of living under the radar. She had no protection, no family or friends, no safe place to live. Their small band of racers didn't have a lot of enemies, but they kicked up a lot of shit in a few different places to create some. It was hard to tell what Letty had faced and overcome on her own, but it scared Mia enough to know she needed to help Letty get over it.

Before she had to pull that trigger again.

* * *

"Is everything all right, girl? We could hear the yelling," Sean asked first as Letty carried Julian into the kitchen where there were bodies everywhere, each lounging and scoffing down Mia's breakfast spread.

"Just trying to get reacquainted with Mia," she gave a fake smile and took a seat next to Brooklyn and Brian at the island. "Where is Leon?"

"Haven't seen 'em all morning," James shook his head and the others followed suit. "Guess he's still in bed."

Letty sat Julian down and took off in search of Leon, her heart fearing the worst. Rushing into his master bedroom, she noticed that it looked rather untouched. Moving to his bathroom, there was no sign of him. As she was turning to leave, Letty spotted an empty baggy on the edge of the sink. Walking over to further investigate, she noticed the remnants of cocaine on the edge of the basin.

"Dominic!" Letty yelled as she bolted from the room to the final master bedroom down the hall – Dominic's. She didn't bother knocking as she swung the door open. "We need to find-"

"Whoa!" Dom yelled as he hurried for the towel he had just disposed of, frantically wrapping it around his lower half. "Knocking works. Where's the fire?"

Letty tried to slow down her breathing before she had a heart attack. She could feel her face flushing with heat and her belly igniting. She forgot just how good Dom looked naked and that reminder sent her body into a tailspin. She shielded herself from him while he dressed; not because she didn't want to see, but because she was afraid of what she would do to him if she did.

"Uhm … it's Leon. He's not here. He's using again. Found this in the bathroom," she held up the bag while looking away.

"Quit acting like you've never seen it before," Dom smiled proudly as he yanked his khaki slacks over his bottom, pulling her hand from her face. "Could he be at the hospital?"

"Maybe, but visiting hours aren't for another three hours."

"All right. We need to go searching," Dom started for the door, but she stopped him. "What's wrong?"

"I need to tell you something," Dom's eyes looked hopeful as she struggled with her thoughts. "These men who are after him – they've been following us since Honduras. I don't even know how they found us in the first place. At our hotel in Honduras, the bellhop was one of Koenig's men. He had this tattoo of a black widow spider on his hand. The same for the guys at the gas station … the ones who shot Luke."

"So what. Coincidence," Dom shrugged, his hopes deflated.

"No, not coincidence. The doctor – Dr. Goddard – he had the same tattoo Dominic!" her eyes were convincing.

"That's why he snapped when he caught you looking," Letty nodded, "How have they been tracking you? Did you see them put something on the car?

"No, they never got close enough," Letty tried to think of a way that Koenig could've known their every move. "I'll be right back."

Letty sprinted up the stairs to her room and searched through the clutter for any clues. She dug through the bottom of her bags of luggage until she came upon a cell phone that didn't belong. It was then that she remembered taking it off the goon in Honduras. Letty hurried back down to Dominic's room and handed it over.

"What's this?"

"I got that from one of his men a week ago."

"How did you get it?" Dom asked curiously. When Letty hesitated, he placed his hands on her shoulders, "Letty, how did you get this phone?" These men were out to kill her; there wasn't a way for her to get it without someone ending up dead.

"It doesn't matter, I have it now," she snapped.

Dom backed off and proceeded to search the phone. He removed the back-plate and showed her a small chip connected to the battery. He ripped the chip away and snapped the phone in half for safe measures. "OK. Come on," he grabbed his t-shirt and a duffel bag, along with Letty's hand and dragged her from the room.

The two hurried back into the kitchen, where everyone was gathered and dressed, waiting for the next call. They all froze when Dom and Letty appeared in the doorway, Dom's chest bare and their fingers entwined. Letty noticed the smiles and what everyone else was staring at and quickly removed her hand from his, moving away to put space between the two.

"We need to move now and find Leon, but we have to split up. Sean, I want you and Twink to take Mia, Jerry and the kids to a hotel out of the city. Get as far away from here as you can and we'll meet up after this is taken care of," Dom ordered and handed him cash. He could see that Mia wanted to protest, but he held his hand up to silence her. "Jerry, you work with computers right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I want you to see what you can do with this. It's a tracking device that was connected to this phone. I need an address," Dom handed the young man the phone and chip.

"Here, take the Jetta," Letty said, handing Sean the keys. "But if it has one scratch, you'll have a matching one. Got it?"She cocked a brow and Sean smiled at her spunk, giving a firm nod.

"OK. I want you three to get on the phone and go hunting for Leon. I know we're all new to the city, but it shouldn't be hard to spot that bright Skittle he's driving in," Dom smirked, and Rob, Carlos and James nodded. "We're gonna head to the hospital now. If anyone comes into contact with Koenig's men, look for a black widow spider on the hands. Do not engage them, because they will kill you. Everybody needs to be safe and smart," Dom's authoritative voice spoke, and like clockwork, everyone moved accordingly.

Dom, Brian, and Letty rushed out to their cars and back down to the hospital where Luke was stationed. They looked around the lot in hopes of spotting Leon's bright Supra, but they had no such look. Letty was the first through the doors as she rushed to the kiosk desk.

"I know visiting time isn't for another few hours, but I really need to see Jacob Smith. His brother is missing and we need to speak with him as soon as possible," Letty tried to be polite and prayed the woman would help.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but we cannot give out any information to non-family members," the woman snarled, dropping her eyes back to her work. "It says that John Smith is the only immediate family member listed. I'm sorry."

"Did you not hear me? His brother is missing!" Letty pounded her hands on the countertop.

"And did you not hear me? I cannot give you-" the woman snapped back, but was interrupted as Dom approached. He pulled Letty away and pushed her towards Brian.

"I'm sorry about her," Dom turned on the charm, leaning across the counter nonchalantly. He put on his best smile as he tried his hand at swaying the clerk, "That's a beautiful blouse, Helga. We're very worried about our friend. You see we're new to Germany and we have no idea where to look. His brother is the only one who could help us."

The clerk gave him a bashful smile before turning to the computer in front of her. Dom looked over his shoulder at the annoyed look on Letty's face and shrugged.

"Jacob Smith, moved to the recovery wing. Room 314," she smiled and Dom reached his hand under the protective glass to give her hand a thankful squeeze.

Dom ignored the looks on Brian and Letty and waved them to an elevator. Once on the floor, they quickly moved to Luke's room, only to find it empty.

"Where could he be?" Letty's began to panic as she searched the room frantically.

"I'll look for a doctor," Brian said as he stepped out into the hallway. He stopped the first doctor who passed, who's nametag read Dr. Ivan, "Can you tell me where the patient is that was in this room?"

"Sure," the doctor moved to the kiosk station and looked through the files. "Last patient assigned to that room would have been Mr. Dabo Patel. He checked out yesterday though."

"We're looking for Jacob Smith. The clerk downstairs told us this was his room," Brian wasn't liking the look of things. "We need to find him. His brother is missing and he may be in trouble."

"I'm sorry, but I don't have any record of a Jacob Smith in this room, or on this floor at all. Actually, now that you mention it, there is no record of a Jacob Smith in the past few weeks."

Letty approached them after hearing his response, "Where is Dr. Goddard?"

"Who?" The man looked genuinely confused.

"Dr. Abel Goddard – he was my fiance's doctor. Blue eyes, tattoo on his hand?" Letty could feel the tears pricking at her eyes, but forced herself to hold them in. She couldn't lose it now.

"Ma'am, I think you may be confused. I've been here for fifteen years and I've never heard of this man you speak of. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Letty wanted to pound Mr. Ivan's face in, but instead she stormed past him. Brian hurried after her while Dom stood nose-to-nose with the perplexed doc. "You obviously don't do a great job screening who comes in and out of this building. If our friend is hurt, his blood will be on your hands."

Dom caught up with his friends in the parking lot, where the two stood dumbfounded on where to take their search next. Now, not only did they have to find Leon, they needed to find out what happened to Lucas.

"What the hell are we gonna do, Dominic? They have them! Both of them!" Letty cried out.

Dom had never seen Letty so unwrapped before. She was always the one who kept a cool head. Even when obstacles seemed impossible to overcome, Letty was the level-headed one who made sure everyone stayed focus. But now she looked as if all hope in the world was lost. Dominic hated seeing that helpless look in her eyes.

He walked to her slowly, placing his hands on her hips to force her to look at him. He pushed her hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek, a move that always seemed to relax her.

"Breathe," he whispered, rubbing his thumb over her cheek slightly. She did as he told, taking a deep breath and releasing her. "We're going to find them, Lett, but we have to keep cool heads in this. These men have ten times the power that we've dealt with before, and we need to play this one safe."

"I can't lose them, Dom. I cannot watch another brother die," she shook her head fervently, her body trembling with distress. Dom didn't hesitate pulling her in and holding her tight, taking the moment to inhale her scent. It was over two years since she had been that close and Dominic wanted to hold on to the moment for as long as he could. Brian didn't want to watch the intimate moment, but he couldn't look away. He was intrigued by Dom and Letty's strange relationship.

"I promise you," he moved his hands to hold her face and look deep into her watery brown eyes, "We will get them back. I will not let anyone else die."

His dark eyes were sincere and Letty knew he meant what he was promising. Dom didn't let go, though. He held her gaze and fought the urge to attack her lips. It was hard, especially after her tongue darted out to wet her lips. Thankfully for him, his cell phone started buzzing in his pocket. The two broke the hold and he put space in between them.

"Yeah?" he answered shortly.

"_Hello, Dominic_," the voice on the other end made the hair on Dom's neck stand on end. He didn't recognize it, but he had a feeling he knew who it was.

"Who is this?"

"_I think we both already know. Sorry about the hospital mix-up, but I had a feeling Luke would've been a __wee-bit frightened if he woke up in there. We've moved him to somewhere more … comfortable._"

"Whoever you are, you have no clue who you're fucking with," Dom growled into the phone.

"_Well let's see: Dominic Toretto, wanted for escaping police custody in Los Angeles; wanted for connection in the murder of DEA agents. Not to mention the beautiful wrap that you've already established – aggravated assault at seventeen, street-racing, felony evading and that little stunt you pulled in Rio. I'll tell you, Mr. Toretto – you are quite the legend. And of course that beautiful baby boy Julian, or your gorgeous girlfriend Leticia. I'm sorry, she's Luke's woman now."_

Dom was enraged. He slammed his fist into the closest car, putting a massive dent in the hood, "Then you obviously know what I will do to you when I find you!"

"_Now, now, Dominic,"_ the accented voice said_, "No need for threats. I have a proposal for you and your friends but it sounds much better in person. There is an abandoned factory about fifteen miles north from that beautiful villa you are occupying. You have thirty minutes to meet me or Lucas will begin to understand the true meaning of discomfort."_

Dom paced angrily to keep from spazzing out in the public parking lot. He ignored Letty and Brian's questioning looks as he listened on.

"Why are you calling me? Why not Leon? He's the one you have beef with."

_"Well, I can see Leonardo from here and I'll tell you something, Mr. Toretto … your friend isn't in very good condition. He's not very smart, either. Brave, but very, very stupid. See you soon."_

The line went dead and Dom angrily smashed his fist into a concrete post, chipping the material away as if it were only paper.

"Was that Koenig? What did he say?" Brian asked. He could see Dominic battling his anger and made sure to stay a few feet away.

"He says he has a proposal for us. He wants to meet."

"Does he have Luke?" Letty asked and Dom kept his eyes to the sky as he shook his head.

"Leon too," he mumbled, startling them both. "Fucking kid went after him. The goddamn idiot tried to go after him. We need to get to them. Fast," Dom rushed to the Challenger. "Brian, call after the others and tell them to head North. We'll meet them on the way."

* * *

Leon's mind was in such a fog that he could barely hold his head up right. He let out a growl from the pain shooting through his body. His fingertips tingled and he felt like he had the energy to run a triathlon, but he couldn't move his legs. He tried with all his might to move, but the general numbness he felt over his entire body showed him that moving was out of the question. It was a struggle to separate his eyelids, but when he did, he realized that he didn't recognize his surroundings. The room was dark and musty and he felt a cold chill over his body. Looking down, he noticed that he was nearly naked, with only boxers covering his bottom. A thin sheet of sweat covered his chest, along with purple and black bruises that trailed down his side.

Leon made an attempt to sit up from the hard floor, but his legs were bound at the ankles by chains. He felt something itching at his arm, and looking down, he saw a belt he recognized as his own tied tightly around his arm. Fearing the worst, he used all of his strength to make it to his feet. Leaning against the wall, Leon felt a strange sensation coursing through his body. It wasn't like the high he was used to, but more powerful, debilitating high. His vision blurred but he managed to pull himself to the only window in the room, and peaked out over the edge.

Leon wondered how he ended up a working factory, tied up and incoherent. There were dozens of workers wearing protective gear, cooking up what Leon knew was crystal meth. The product was cooked and packaged the same way the stash in his Porsche.

It was then that Leon realized the seriousness of his dilemma.

He was inside of Alvaro's workshop.

Leon couldn't remember how he got in, but he knew it was detrimental for his safety to get out. He looked around the factory for anything that could help him, but the many armed guards keeping post would make it difficult to escape. When Leon's vision finally focused, he noticed that directly across from his window was another. He squinted his eyes, hoping that he was hallucinating at what he saw.

When the bound and gagged man raised his head, Leon's heart stopped.

"Lukey?" he whimpered as he saw his baby brother's bloodied face look towards him.

Before he could scream out to him, the pain in his body became too much to handle and he blacked out.

* * *

_**There it is! I know it took a little longer but I hope it pleases. The next chapter might be a little a grim, so just an extended warning. I hope I don't scare any readers away!**_

_**Also, some might have noticed I used a quote from my favorite TV show, Sons of Anarchy, during the scene with Brian and Mia. I absolutely love that quote and I think it applies very well to Letty.**_

_**Read and Review!**_


	28. Chapter 27

**I didn't get as many reviews as I previously thought on that last chapter, so hopefully this chapter is better received. Leave me some reviews folks! Enjoy!**

_**Chapter 27-Guinea Pig**_

_**Red's POV**_

I stared up at the intimidating correctional facility with a heavy heart. I never thought I'd be back here, I vowed never to return to this hell-hole, but here I was, ten years later. If I wanted the answers I was looking for, I had to start with Lompoc Correctional. Sure, Thomas Saxton had been charged and was serving out his forty-year sentence at the age of the 38, but that wasn't good enough for me. My father might not have gave a damn, but I did. Luis meant the world to me and I needed to know why my big brother had to lose his life so violently.

My last visit hadn't been pleasant; the inmates were rowdy, depressing, and violent. I was only there for a few hours and _I_ started mapping out escape routes. But I was only a rookie then, still wet behind the ears and completely naive to the even larger dangers that awaited me on the outside of those walls. Now, an accomplished veteran who was more than willing to scrap with anyone man or woman who stood in my way, I thought I was more prepared to face the inside of the maximum prison facility and the devils who were inside.

The closer I got to the doors, the more I realized I wasn't prepared at all.

"Hi, my name is Audrina Rodriguez. I'm a special agent with the Diplomatic Security Services. I have an appointment with Warden Matthews," I said to the prison guard while showing him my badge and ID. He nodded and reached for his two-way.

"Your appointment is here, Sir," he said into the talkie. A voice replied with an 'OK'. "Follow me ma'am."

I nodded and followed the guard through the security monitors. I swallowed the nervous lump in my throat as I looked around the grungy, taunting halls. I ignored the cat-calls and taunts from the inmates as we made our way between the cells. Once we finally reached the warden's office, we were met by an older, thin man with fluffy, white hair peeking from under a cowboy hat and firm blue eyes. He gave me a warm smile and offered up the seat in front of his desk.

"It's so nice to see you again, Audrina. My, oh my have you grown up," the elder man flirted with a wide grin.

"I know it. And I appreciate you meeting with me on such short notice."

"Anything for you, honey. I hate the way they swept what happened to Luis under the rug. From what I heard, he was a good kid," he spot softly and his eyes looked sincere. I liked Warden Matthews; he was a great upgrade from the previous boss who carelessly let the prisoners run wild – ultimately leading to eight inmate-deaths under his watch. Needless to say - after I kicked up a shit-storm over Luis' death - the warden was out of a job and Warden Matthews was brought in.

I nodded with a smile, "He was. Warden Matthews, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm here for business."

"That's why I like you … always straight to the point. And please, call me Gene."

"Well, Gene. I need to see Thomas Saxton."

Gene eyed me questioningly, then removed his hat slowly.

"He's already serving out his time. He can't be charged again and he's already refused to name the others involved. Why are you still picking at this?"

"Because I'd sleep better at night knowing why my brother had his skull stomped in. Besides, we need to make sure that this will be the last of such events. Now if you want, I can call District and have their boys down here ripping this place apart to make sure things are running smooth. Your choice."

The warden seemed to pick up my threat. He reached into a file cabinet and retrieved a manila file.

"This is Saxton's file and the investigator's report on the case. You can read it on your way to holding room B. Down the hall, second door on the left," Gene's smile was gone as he stood and pointed to the door. As I was walking away, his voice stopped me. "I hope you get the closure you need, Ms. Rodriguez. I don't want to see you in here again."

"Trust me, Gene – I never want to come back again."

I was led to a holding room that was usually used for private meetings or inmate questioning. There was wide mirror that doubled as a see-through window on the opposite side. I had no doubt that when the questioning started, the warden would be watching closely on the other side. I sat twiddling my thumbs as I waited anxiously for the prisoner. I decided to scan over the report while I waited. Most of the information I was already aware of, but there were a few notes here and there that were new to me.

Hearing footsteps heading my way, I looked up to see a man being led to door by a guard. He was wearing the bright orange jumpsuit and shackles around his ankles and wrists. I stood – hostility and anger rushing through me as I finally locked eyes with the man who had caused me such anguish and distress for over twelve years. A look of realization dawned on his face as he stopped short of his chair.

"Well, I had a feeling I'd be meeting you. I gotta admit though – I didn't think it'd take this long," he smiled and flopped down in the metal chair nonchalantly.

I stood in trance, staring at the cold-blooded killer in front of me. He didn't look anything like his mugshot anymore. He had an unruly beard and a three-inch scar from the corner of his left eye that traveled to the corner of his mouth. His brown eyes were empty, soulless even. His worst feature? The toothless smile that was mocking and frustrating.

"Can you give us a moment alone?" I asked the guard who stood near the door.

"Sorry, ma'am. But I was instructed not to leave you two alone."

"Leave, deputy! Now!" I yelled while palming my service weapon. He nodded and disappeared out the door.

"Still as feisty, I see," Saxton purred as I turned to him. He looked me up and down hungrily, "Still as beautiful as you were in the first newspaper article. You know, I still have that picture. It helps get me through those _lonely_ nights."

That slimy smile sent me over the edge. I marched over to Saxton and slammed his head down on the metal table. Blood squirted from his face and spewed onto the table in front of him.

_Hold yourself together, Soldier. Calm down and remember to keep your emotions in check!_

Luke's military-type rambles were playing in my head as I stepped away. I followed his mantra and took a deep breath and moved to the other side of the table, putting safe distance between us before I snapped again. Turning to him, I felt a small sense of pride at the sight of blood pouring from his nose. He leaned over and spat some blood into the floor.

"OK. Since you're not here to play... what do you want?" he snarled at me.

"I just need to know a few things, then you can go back to rotting in this shithole. Nothing you say leaves this room."

"OK," he sat back and smirked, "Shoot."

"Who gave up the order for the beating?" his arrogant demeanor didn't change as I stared him down.

"Does it matter?" he bit back quickly.

"OK. Can I ask why you took the deal? What did you get out of this?"

"Not that it's any of your business... 25 thousand dollars was given to my family to help them while I was in here. And they got an extra twenty when I decided to take sole responsibility."

I was shocked by the astounding amount of money that was paid out to this killer's family. Was that all what Luis was worth? Forty grand? Why were they rewarded for someone's death?

"Who is Joseph Linder?" At the mention of the name, he seemed to tense up, his eyes traveling everywhere but in my direction.

"I'm not talking about _him_. Ask what you want, but I-I'm not answering anything that pertains to Joey," he stuttered and shuffled in his seat. "Why are you asking? You already got me, why are you still after this?"

His change of subject peaked my interest. There was more to this that I needed to know.

"Was Joey one of your accomplices? Was he one of the other men who attacked Luis?"

"No! Joey was a good kid," Thomas ran his cuffed hands over his head. Thomas was coming undone right before my eyes and I knew I had to exploit it if I wanted to get anything useful out of him.

"Thomas, what is the deal with Joey? Did he have something to do with this?" I begged, but he still seemed to struggle with the truth. "You're right, Thomas. I can't do anything because you've already been charged. And no matter how hard it hurts to know that I can't do anything, I think I deserve to know what the hell my brother did to deserve this. Please? I'm begging you," I was desperate at this point and I didn't care to grovel. I just wanted to be at peace with this. I needed the truth.

Thomas took a deep breath before speaking, "Joey was a good kid, ya know. I've known him since we were in grade school and he never had any enemies. He was a normal kid, until that fucking race."

"Race? What race?" I questioned.

"The last race of the Stock Car circuit of '95. His dad was in second place coming up behind the best stock car driver in the competition. They were coming into the last turn... Joey's dad Kenny clipped Dino Toretto's car. He ended up crashing. He died on the track." I had heard the nationwide news of the death of the legendary racer, but it wasn't until now that I realized Joseph Linder's connection to Dominic and Saxton. I let him continue on, "After that, Joey was pretty much burned from the city. Nobody wanted to be around him, nobody wanted him around. He didn't like that very well. Joey took a turn for the worse, started getting into fights, all kinds of trouble. Because of his death, Joey and his family were targeted with hate mail, death threats, a complete shunning from their neighbors. After Toretto nearly killed his dad, he was hellbent on getting revenge. The way Joey saw it, Dino Toretto ruined his life and he wanted to ruin Dominic's, so he came here."

"Purposely? For what?"

"Involuntary manslaughter. Burned down a vacant house that turned out to be a squatter's home. When he burned down that house, he unknowingly killed a homeless man too. He was planning from the day he walked in to take down Dominic Toretto."

I was in such a shock from the overload of information that I wasn't sure what to say next. "So... Joey paid you to attack Luis, who was Dominic's cellmate? He intended to pin the attack on Dominic..."

"Until the kid ended up dead. That was never the purpose... he wasn't supposed to die!" Thomas angrily slammed his fist down again, startling me in my seat. "Joey had some pull with a few of the guards. We were to show up and rough the kid up a bit, ya know, make it look like they duked it out. The guards were supposed to make sure Dominic was escorted back to his cell first, but another officer found Luis before the plan was executed. Joey wanted Toretto to be seen as dangerous and unstable, so he could suffer the way Joey and his family had. Things just didn't go as planned."

"They never do," I replied, more-so to myself. I sat back in my seat flabbergasted over the ordeal. All this pent up hatred and spite I felt for Dominic Toretto was unwarranted. A revenge plot against Dominic was the reason Luis became a victim of senseless violence, yet he was an innocent pawn in the plan.

After getting the answers that I sought after for years, I felt … relieved. Relieved that I could finally put my investigation to rest, and allow my brother's troubled soul to rest in peace. I stood slowly from the chair and moved to the door before turning to Thomas one last time.

"What happened to Joey?"

"Hung himself three years ago. Poor fuck couldn't handle a place like this," he said shaking his head. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry about Luis. Kid never should've ended up mixed up in this shit."

I nodded sadly and left the room, making my way out of Lompoc. For good.

* * *

Leon stood staring at the black travel bag on his bed that was currently holding the eighty thousand dollars that he had to his name. In only a few hours it would all be in the hands of Alvaro Koenig and that angered him. _I won the fucking race fair and square and I'm still losing nearly a hundred grand!_ he thought frustratedly, kicking at the bed frame below. Leon paced the room with one thing on his mind – getting rid of Alvaro Koenig. Seeing his little brother plugged up to machines, on the brink of death really did some work on his mindset and he craved revenge. He wanted Koenig to pay for ever walking into his life – even if it was accidental. Leon never meant to get Lucas mixed up with his trouble, that's why he kept him away from the Team. Lucas was too sweet of a guy; he wasn't meant to handle killers and drug dealers. Leon felt a sense of urgency to get the kid out of this mess before things got deadly.

He ran his trembling hands through his hair. His stress level was through the roof and he was really starting to feel the effects of being drug-free for two days straight, which was a first in a long time. He was craving the rush that it gave him, but he also remembered the promise he made Letty. He didn't want to disappoint his friends and he badly wanted to get help, but he didn't like the way detoxing made him feel. His irritation was at an all-time high and he wanted nothing but the bad feelings to go away. Leon moved to the bathroom and flopped down on the toilet, dropping his head in his hands as he cried. It wasn't a soft cry, but a heart-wrenching, racking sob that made his head hurt, but he couldn't stop. Leon wanted nothing more than to wake up from the nightmare he had been living and return to the good life he had with Jesse and the Team, but he knew there was no chance for that.

After a few minutes of weeping, Leon finally gathered himself from the toilet and stood in front of the mirror. He didn't stare directly at himself; he hated seeing the way he looked now. Instead, he opened the cabinet and reached under the baseboard of the bottom shelf and retrieved his stash. He quickly dumped the powdery substance on the edge of the sink and pulled a dollar bill from his pocket, rolling it into a straw and snorting up the first line.

As the drug kicked in, Leon felt his body calming down, the tremors slowing and his headache immediately subsiding. His heart rate kicked up a notch and he suddenly felt hyper and anxious. He quickly inhaled another line before staggering out of the bathroom. He shook off the initial disorientation and grabbed his travel bag before quietly sneaking out of his room. The house was silent, so he knew everyone was still asleep, which would make his escape easier. Leon quietly hurried to his car, tossing the bag of cash in his passenger seat as he slid in the driver. Reaching into the glove compartment, he retrieved his Glock and made sure it was loaded before tucking it in his pants. He stuck the extra clip in his pocket and started the engine.

Leon whipped out of the driveway and sped to the address he saved in his phone. As his tires ate up the road, Leon could feel the adrenaline taking course through his body. Everything outside of his peripherals was a blur of colors and shapes, nothing in his focus but the road directly ahead. His fingertips tingled as they brushed against the steering wheel, the power shooting up his fingers and hands, traveling up his arms and rushing to his head.

Leon was keen to his heightened senses as he slowed down two blocks away from the building, keeping his eye firmly on every passing car or straggler. He was near an industrial park that looked to be abandoned. He drove through an alley that separated the park from another empty factory and killed the engine. Grabbing his bag of cash, Leon swiftly made his way to the front of the alley and stayed hidden behind a few dumpsters. He looked at the barbed-wire fence that kept him on the other side of the industrial park and thought of a way to get in. It was secured with a padded lock and chain, not to mention the snipers lingering on top of the structure's roof. Leon was certain that this was Koenig's place and by the amount of watch men circling the property, he knew it was one of his cooking labs.

Leon struggled momentarily with the decision to go back for the others, but he saw an opening and the adrenaline running through his body told him to go for it. He jogged back to the Supra and pulled it directly in front of the fence. After saying a small prayer, Leon punched the gas, launching the car through the fence and into the park. As he suspected, the men began firing on his car, but that didn't stop him. He maneuvered like a pro through massive pipes and piles of debris as he stuck his hand out the window, firing on the men on the ground first.

"Fuck!" he yelled while ducking, a smile on his face as he spun his car in circles, kicking up a dust storm in the center of the park. He downed two more guards before turning on his NOS bottles to the maximum and grabbing his bag and slipping out of the car. Thankfully, he was able to stay hidden due to the dust. He took advantage of the cloak and hurried to hide along the building. Leon ducked quickly to avoid a gang of men running towards the exit and in the direction of the Supra. He waited until it was swarming with men before he fired his gun at his baby, saying his last goodbye before it exploded, sending the carcass flying into the air. He didn't wait for the results, but headed inside instead.

Leon made his way into the main section, which was full of half naked men and women working on what looked like an assembly line. He fired his gun into the air, getting the attention of everyone in the room. He grabbed the nearest person to him, a short, young girl who looked terrified. He tried to ignore the fear in her eyes as he clutched his forearm around her throat, the barrel of his gun pressed firm against her head.

"I promise I won't hurt you. Just relax," he whispered into her ear. He realized she probably didn't understand English, but he hoped his calm tone would help. "Alvaro!" he yelled, his voice echoing throughout the room, "Show your fucking face."

He watched as men with guns appeared from every direction, but none were Koenig.

"I swear to God I'll blow her brains out!" Leon barked. After a few more tense seconds, Alvaro appeared at the second level of the structure, a small curve on his lips.

"What are you doing, Leonardo? I thought we were gonna do this the easy way? You give me my money … nobody dies … I walk out of your life," Koenig said with a crooked smile.

"I have your money," he dropped the bag on the floor and kicked it away. "And that sounded great, at first. Until my baby brother ended up in the hospital because of you!" Leon let his emotions get to him and fired a shot off near Alvaro's head. His men immediately reacted, all raising their weapons, but Koenig signaled them down.

"Well that was an unfortunate incident. He's alive, though. That's great, right?" Koenig's tone was sarcastic and snide and it burned Leon to the core. "At least, for now."

At that moment, Alvaro waved someone in. Leon's heart nearly crashed at the sight of Luke being drug into the room by his arms, his limp body thrown into the floor. Leon thought the worse as his hands trembled, the gun rattling as he held it to the girl's head.

"Lucas!" he screamed. Luke finally let out a loud groan and rolled over onto his back, showing his battered and bloody face. Leon turned back to Koenig with fire burning in his eyes. "Let him go. Now. Or she's dead."

Before Leon could react, Koenig removed his weapon and aimed it at him, only he fired on the young girl, hitting her in the head, her blood splattering over Leon's face as her body fell to the floor. Leon stood in pure shock; he had never seen a dead body that close before.

"She's dead. Now what?" Alvaro asked casually. Leon couldn't take his eyes off the puddle of blood pooling around her head. The smell hit him like a ton of bricks and he couldn't stop himself from hurling a few feet away. He coughed and dry-heaved as the drug lord continued on, "Leon, I was going to wait until our previously-arraigned appointment to discuss this, but since you were so anxious to see me, why don't we call the rest of your friends and have a little meeting?"

"They aren't involved. I'm the one who owes you. Leave them out of it!"

"I wish it was that easy, Leonardo. I've come to know of a very interesting competition beginning and I need you and your friend's help to win," he shrugged simply.

"You're fucked if you think we'd help you with anything," Leon snarled back. "You have your money. Let my brother go."

Leon went to take a step forward, unaware of the man approaching him from the rear. Just as he was closing in on Luke, he was cracked over the back of the head with the butt of a gun, knocking him out cold into the floor.

"Get these worthless Yanks off my floor," he snarled down at the men. "You," he pointed to one of his men, "Get on the phone with the Officer Brokahv. Tell him everything's fine. Haben Sie ihn die Feuerwehr von der Anlage entfernt zu halten." _("Have him keep the firemen away from the plant.")_

"Ihr Idioten raus und behandeln, das Feuer." _(You idiots get out there and handle the fire!")_

"Sir! It's not all there," one of his henchmen said as he hovered over the black bag, counting what was sorted and wrapped in the bag.

"I figured. Get me his phone. Let's get some more people in this party."

* * *

Dom, Letty, and Brian met up with the other guys five minutes into the drive at a nearby gas station. They all headed north as Dom was instructed to the factory in hopes of finding both of their friends alive. They made it to the industrial plant in no time, surprised to see a cloud of smoke billowing in the air above. They parked along the alley and got out to assess the damage.

"You smell that? NOS?" Brian asked as he took a whiff of the strong aroma coming from a burned car in the field. He'd know that smell anywhere.

"Is that Leon's car?" James asked, stepping forward. "Leon!" he yelled and tried to take off for the car, but Dom stopped him. James took a swing at Dom, which he managed to duck and slam the young man against the concrete wall.

"Leon isn't in the car!" Dom growled in his face, trying to subdue him.

"How do you know? You didn't even know your own girlfriend was alive for two years! Look at that shit, Dom! How could he survive that?" James spat back, staring fearlessly into Dom's eyes. He knew he landed a low-blow by the intense amount of pressure now being put on his throat. Dom was pressing his forearm so deep into his throat that James' face became red and taut.

"Dom, enough. We're here for Le," Brian whispered, trying to pull the brute off the blue-haired boy.

Dominic snapped out of his trance and backed away. James clutched his hands at his throat as he sucked in air eagerly.

"Leon is alive!" Dom roared to everyone. "Let's not fall apart now. Now, I want you all to stay here and wait while Brian and I go in."

"No fucking way," Letty protested first. "I'm going after them."

"No, you aren't," Dom raised his voice, letting her know his word was final. "I can't risk any of you getting hurt. Wait here," Dom and Brian turned to leave, but the sound of a gun cocking stopped them.

"Did you forget, Dom? I'm not your puppet anymore. I don't follow orders," Letty said, holding her pistol firmly at her side. Dom and Brian both looked on in shock. Dom's eyes moved to hers and she could see them falter slightly before he blinked

"Where did you get that?" Dom asked quietly.

"I already got my ass chewed by Mia... I don't need your shit too," she pushed past them and made her way to the gate. She turned when she realized they weren't following. "We doing this or what?"

Dom sighed heavily and nodded, both he and Brian following behind her with their weapons drawn and duffle bags in hand. As they closed in on the building, Dom got a sense that something wasn't right. He shook it off and entered through the door first, stopping short at the sight of a blood trail coming from the show floor of the factory.

"Come in, please," a voice called out politely from the room. "But I'd advise you to drop your weapons first."

Brian peeked his head in the room and quickly retracted it at the sight of the slew of Koenig's armed men lining the room. He shook his head at Dom, telling him that they had no choice. Both men dropped their weapons and kicked them into the room, while Letty only tucked hers in her waistband.

The three stepped into the once-again bustling work shop, stopping short at the puddle of blood on the floor.

"Don't worry about that. That blood doesn't belong to anyone you know," an accented voice called from above. "Well. It sure is nice to meet a couple of legends. Dominic Toretto and Brian O'Connor, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Sorry I can't say the same," Dom retorted snidely, staring up at the man known as Alvaro Koenig. He was wearing a gray suit, but removed the blazer and hung it over the railing.

"I get that reaction," Koenig turned his eyes on Letty and his lips broke into a wide smile. "Ms. Ortiz. It _really_ is nice to see you. I'll say, Dom; you have to be either dumb or blind to let such a striking woman get away. Tell me, Leticia, are you still bouncing between men or are you available? I would love to take you to dinner."

"Sorry, Alvaro, but you're not exactly my type," Letty replied with a sly smile of her own. "And with the tremendous amount of dudes you hang around, I'd guess I wasn't yours either."

Alvaro's grin was quickly gone and replaced with a flushed, angry scowl. Brian chuckled a bit and even Dominic cracked a smile at her witty remarks.

"Do you know who you're talking to, _wolfin_?" Alvaro sneered infuriated.

"Whoa," Dom stepped up, finally fed up with the child's play. "Don't talk to her like that. Where is Leon and Lucas?"

"I have them here. They are both alive, for now. But we need to discuss business first."

"What kind of business?" Brian asked wearily.

"There is a competition starting in nine days. I need you to compete in this race. If you do so successfully, I will clear the slate between Leon and I. And you'll see your friends alive again."

"What kind of competition?"

"There is a military base in Berlin that is housing some of Europe's most privileged artillery and explosives. I want them. You guys make a living off stealing things that aren't yours, right?" Koenig's words stung Dom to the core, but he wouldn't show it.

"No deal. Find someone else to do your dirty work. We're out of the game," Dom said while tossing ahead the two duffel bags. "There is your money. 500 hundred thousand dollars in cash. Debt settled."

"See, Dominic. I wish it was that easy," Koenig sighed and lit a cigar. "but I already bought-in the game. Five million dollars. You know why? Because I have some of the most skilled racers and hijackers by the balls. Think carefully how you choose. It's simple really – you do this and they live. You don't, and they die."

Dom looked to Brian, then Letty. Neither of them looked confident – it was obvious they wanted no part of this competition. Brian looked nervous, scared even. But Dom saw something in Letty's eyes, something that told him that she would go on, whether he participated or not. He knew she had been so traumatized by the loss of her friends that she'd do anything to prevent another; even going through with another dangerous, life-changing heist on her own.

Looking at her, he saw a flicker of mischief in her brown eyes. Her body language was timid, but her eyes were fearless and confident as she gave him a firm nod. Dominic gave Brian one final glance and he finally sighed, knowing he was defeated against the two.

"OK. Where is Leon and Lucas?"

"You'll find out more later tonight," Alvaro ignored him and handed a guard a slip of paper who then transferred it to Dominic. "There is a meeting between all of the competing teams tonight at eight o'clock. You will be briefed on the rules and conditions of the game."

"Where are they?!" Letty barked, slinging her gun from her waistband and pointing it a nearby guard's head.

"Ah, my are you sexy when you point a gun," Koenig taunted while staring directly at her. When she didn't budge, he sighed and snapped his fingers. "See for yourself."

Two lights flickered on simultaneously on second level of the facility. Letty kept her weapon high as they moved to the center of the room to get a better view. Letty let out a yelp at the sight of Luke and Leon bound to chairs.

"What the hell have you done to them?" Letty whispered as she looked on, horror-stricken.

Dom watched horrified as a man stood with his back to the glass and injected some fluid into Leon's waiting arm. Leon's head lolled forward and he stared down at them with void eyes. He didn't seem responsive at all, but he managed to flick his eyes over at his brother. Dom turned to a bloodied and battered Luke, who didn't appear to be conscious.

"What are you giving him?" Brian spoke up.

"Nothing he can't handle, Mr. O'Connor. Since Leon has no issues with experimenting, we decided to use him as our … guinea pig, if you will. Luke … well he's just here for me to let off a little steam."

"You motherfucker!" Letty yelled, lunging for Alvaro before Dominic was able to grab and subdue her. She crumbled to pieces in Dom's arms as she looked between Leon and Luke. Neither looked as if they would survive another hour in this place, let alone nine days as Koenig's test dummy and punching bag. Dom managed to slip the weapon from her hands and point it at Koenig. He stood with Letty and pushed her into Brian's arms before starting for Alvaro. One of his guards stepped forward and Dominic dropped him quickly with a head-butt before moving closer.

"We will do this competition, but you let them go. They don't deserve this!" Dom barked and for a moment, he saw a flash of fright in Koenig's eyes.

"That is solely my choice, Dominic. I could always take that beauty off your hands," he smirked, nodding to Letty.

"Fuck you!" Letty screamed as she thrashed around in Brian's arms.

Dom cocked the barrel of the gun and held it to Koenig on the upper level. "We could leave. You can find your own disposable dummies to do this job, but you know you can't. You know we have the balls and the skills to do this better than anyone else. Now unless you want to be out that five million dollars for nothing, I suggest you let them go."

Koenig paced for a moment as he thought of his options.

"OK, Dominic. Because I'm feeling generous today, I'll give you _one_ of the Hernandez brothers, but the other is with me until those weapons are in my possession. Take your pick."

Dom turned to Letty and Brian.

"Luke needs to see a doctor, but Leon isn't going to survive many more of those injections," Brian said aloud, looking desperately at Alvaro.

Dom looked between Leon and Luke, the weight of the world on his shoulders with the decision. Leon's eyes filled with tears as he stared numbly at his brother. His eyes finally met with Dom's, and they pleaded with him for help. Dom loathed seeing that look of raw emotion in his friend's eyes; he had seen it too many times before with Jesse, Vince, and even Brian. Dom was seething at the thought of picking between his oldest friend, and the man who currently held Letty's heart, but he had to choose wisely.

"Get Leon down here," Dom whispered while staring into Leon's eyes. Leon shook his head feverishly as two men began unlocking him from the restraints. He thrashed around as they drug him out into plain sight, dropping him on the hard, concrete floor. Dom rushed to Leon's aid, tossing his arm over his shoulder as they moved towards the door.

"Luke. Get Luke," Leon muttered into Dom's ear. "Don't be dumb. He's going to kill him."

"I won't let it get that far, Le. Let's get you some help," Dom whispered back.

Letty followed behind after a small push from Brian, who kept his eyes on Luke's unconsciousness face as they regrettably left him behind.

"All right folks, back to work!"


	29. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28-Brothers of Destruction**

Dominic gripped the steering wheel with such strength that his tan knuckles quickly turned white as they hauled ass out of Munich. He was sure his blood pressure was skyrocketing by the second, and he was finding it difficult not to rip Leon's throat out as every minute passed. Looking out the corner of his eye, Dominic saw Leon curled up in the passenger seat, his body sweaty and trembling and his eyes lost out the window. Dom's eyes scanned his filthy body, the evidence of needle marks lining his arms and dry blood covering his face and torso. His green eyes were alert, but distant.

"I told you not to take him on Leon! Why couldn't you just wait for me?" Dom broke the silence as his frustrations got the best of him.

Leon's head snapped over in Dom's direction as he cowered from the roar.

"I thought I was doing the right thing," his voice cracked as he replied.

"No, Leon!" Dom exclaimed, "You weren't thinking at all. What if he had killed you as soon as you stepped foot in that building?"

"Yeah, but he didn't, Dominic!" Leon replied harshly as he attempted to sit up in the seat, "These seats feel like shit."

"It ain't the seats," Dom mumbled under his breath.

"I hope you have a plan. If my brother ends up dead in there before this competition even starts, his blood is on your hands."

Dom suddenly slammed on the brakes, propelling Leon forward in his seat, causing his forehead to slam off the dashboard violently. He cradled his face as he groaned out in pain.

"What the fuck, man?!"

"Nobody's blood will be on my hands because nobody is going to die. If you hadn't went in there like fucking Rambo, I wouldn't have had to make that choice."

"Oh please, Dominic. I watched that man shoot a young girl in the head and smile about it. Like he was blowing a fucking bubble. This shit is nothing to him, brother. He was going to hurt Luke anyways, I just took his attention away for a while. You should've chose him. He doesn't deserve this."

Dominic swallowed his anger as he thought about how Leon was possibly feeling. He couldn't imagine how he would feel if Mia had been the one kidnapped and tortured. Not to the mention the overwhelming fear after being slammed with crystal meth by psychotic drug pushers. Cocaine was bad enough, but being forcefully injected with ice was pushing dangerous boundaries. The guilt started to pile on as he thought of all the things he could've done to prevent Leon's torture with drugs. Keeping Leon around during the Dominic Republic would've steered him clear of cocaine, and especially international drug kingpins. He knew Letty was right; Leon had been dealt a shitty hand over the past few years and things seemed to only get worse for him.

Dom promised himself that he'd rescue Luke, get Leon the professional help he needed, and protect the rest of his family while keeping himself out of a federal prison. Or he would die trying.

"I need all my men for this job. And besides, you're the one he wants dead. You wouldn't have been alive much longer."

"So what do we do now? Are we really going through with this competition?"

"_We_ aren't going through anything because you're going to rehab as soon as this is over. I need you alive for that. The rest of us will take care of this and I'll get Lucas back. Then we are all disappearing again, as a family."

"You're fucking high if you think I'm not helping. He's my brother, you can't bench me, Dominic!" Leon was becoming increasingly irate and Dom realized the drugs were taking over. Leon's pupils were severely dilated and his skin had turned pink with his fists clenched in his lap.

"Look at you, Leon. You can't do yourself or anyone else any good with that stuff controlling!" Dom roared back at him.

"You make it sound like I was shooting up for shits and giggles."

"Well you sure were having a jolly ol' time in your bathroom this morning," Leon's eyes showed defeat as his mouth open and closed like a dying fish. He knew he had been busted for his slip in judgment and he despised himself for the look of disappointment in his friend's eyes. "Lett found your baggie."

"Shit. Is she pissed?" Leon asked cautiously, though he already knew the answer.

"Letty is always pissed. But is she disappointed? Yes. We all are," Leon dropped his head at Dom's words, ashamed to look in his direction any longer. "That's why we're gonna get you some help."

Leon looked up at his friend and was thankful for his gratitude. Dom had always had his back. No matter how stupid Leon had been, Dom had been in his corner, backing him 100 percent along the way. He wanted to get clean for his family and he was determined to do so.

Before he could reply, Dom's phone rang out loudly.

"_Dominic!"_

"Mia! Where are you guys?"

"_I have no clue. We are at some clubhouse that belongs to a friend of Tyler. I just got off the phone with Brian, he told me what happened. How bad is he?"_

"Pretty bad, Mi. He's extremely irritable and unstable. I've never seen anyone trembling so bad," Dom muttered while looking at his ill friend. "You need to keep the kids away when we get there. Put Twink on," he said and waited for the exchange.

"_Big Guy, I know what you're gonna say-"_

"Why the hell are you not at a hotel like I told you? We can't afford for these men to find any of us and we don't need to be separated at a time like this."

"_I know but I figured if these dudes were after us, it'd be better not to go somewhere they could easily find us. I lived in Germany for two years in Berlin where my father's base was stationed and I know a lot of people in Germany who could help us."_

"Wait – your father was stationed in Berlin? Do you know the place?"

"_Yeah, he took me and my mom there sometimes. Anyways, I have a friend who lives with his uncle in Freising. His uncle owns an abandoned building that we could use. He says we're welcome to it as long as we need it. It has a few spare rooms in the back and it's isolated from most of the city."_

"I'm glad you were thinking out of the box, but we can't have everyone in the world knowing where we are, Twink. They aren't going to give us trouble, will they?"

"_Oh, no way, Dom. The place is completely empty. And guess what? I found cars."_

"Cars?" Dom's interest was peaked now, and Leon was also watching in him intently. "Where?"

"_Just get here and we'll talk about that later. Put these directions into your GPS," _Dom did as he was told and programmed Twink's location into his GPS system. It was only about 25 miles from their current location and Dom knew it wouldn't take long to reach them.

"Twink, call and pass the directions to the others. We're on our way."

* * *

_**D.S.S. Headquarters**_

"Where the hell have you been? I've been trying to reach you for hours," Hobbs grilled Red as she finally walked back into work later that evening. After reaching her conclusion in L.A, Red was on a plane hours later on her way to Virginia and back to work. She thought it was in her best interest to keep her cross-country trip to herself and out of the ears of her overprotective friend. She wasn't in the mood for an 'I told you so', so she kept the news quiet, at least until the drama with the Toretto clan was over.

"I had a date," she lied smoothly, shrugging it off as she took her seat in the front of the room.

"You had a date? A morning date? I find that hard to believe," Hobbs replied with a chuckle. "You hate people, especially in the morning. Where were you really?"

"Listen, you really need a woman to occupy yourself so you can mind your own business," she shot him down again, flipping open her notepad prepared to take on the next assignment.

"Okay, settle down everyone," the senior officer in command, Robert Pauley, called out to his room of two dozen agents and recruits as he entered the meeting room. "I called this meeting to address a few things. First thing's first, I want to introduce you to our new intelligence agent being transferred from United States Customs service, Ms. Monica Fuentes."

Both Luke and Red stared in awe at the gorgeous agent, whose face was stern yet friendly as she smiled and waved at the room. The long-legged woman stood proud with confidence as she showed off every twist and turn of her curvaceous body in a tight, navy pencil skirt and a white blouse, topped off with navy blue high-heels. They both raked their eyes over her body, from her smooth legs to her curvy hips to her stunning long brown curls.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Agent Fuentes and because of U.S Customs' decision to team up with DSS on a few assignments, I will be working with you extensively and indefinitely, so if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to come to me," she said with a genuine smile.

"Dibs," both Red and Hobbs whispered to each other simultaneously, each eager to claim the new meat.

"No way. You found the hot chick in Colombia, remember?" Hobbs tried to remind her as he kept his eyes on Monica. She stood with her back to them as she spoke with the Chief, giving the friends ample time to check out her back side.

"Who gives a shit. She is heavenly," Red retorted as she drooled over her new co-worker.

"Well can I watch at least?" he wiggled his eyebrows at Red and she gave him a hard slug in the arm.

Monica turned to them at the moment, moving over to their seats, "As flattered as I am to the grand prize in your little competition, I'm here strictly for business, not pleasure."

"Luke, Monica will be working with you and Rodriguez on the Toretto case. She's got a history with one of the suspects, former FBI agent Brian O'Connor," Sgt. Pauley introduced, "Monica, Lucas Hobbs is one of D.S.S.'s top agents. He was assigned to the Rio de Janeiro case. Audrina Rodriguez is his partner, she just returned from some undercover recon in Colombia. They will brief you on what we have thus far," the Sarge dismissed the meeting and excused himself from the room.

"Come on, I'll show you to the office," Red offered with a smile and led Monica down the hall to the office she shared with Hobbs.

Hobbs stood frozen at the door with a scowl as he watched Monica's beautiful derriere saunter down the hall ahead of him.

"I'll be damned if she wins. That ass is mine."

* * *

_**Letty's POV**_

I couldn't get my mind off of Luke as I followed between Dom and Brian on the road. Seeing him and Leon both bound like wild animals and subjected to Koenig's tortured set my soul on fire. I wanted nothing more than to put a bullet in that piece of shit's head, but I knew that would only make matters worse for us in the long run, and we didn't need that. Still, I didn't understand how Leon could be so stupid as to go after someone as dangerous as Alvaro Koenig alone. I was disappointed that he returned to his bad habit, but with the insurmountable stress he was experiencing, I couldn't say I was surprised.

My hands trembled as I gripped the wheel of my Nissan. To relax, I flipped on the radio and scrolled through the stations for one in English. The first was playing some sappy love song that I had no interest in and the second wasn't much better, so I decided on my CD player instead. I smiled when _Enter Sandman_ by Metallica began blaring from the speakers. I hadn't heard the disc since the night of the truck heist, the last night I sat in my Nissan before leaving California for good. I realized that Dominic kept it in pristine condition and reminded myself to thank him for it.

We followed Dominic for another twenty minute race out of Munich. I managed to relax to an extent as I tried to keep my mind off of Lucas. I tried to psych myself out, convincing my mind that he was strong and could survive a few more days with Koenig. He toughed out an agonizing gunshot for days, so I could only hope that he would hang on. I didn't know if I could handle anymore devastation.

I looked on confused as we pulled in to a large building with posters of skulls and bones hanging from the roof. I nervously killed the engine as Mia and the others ran from the building. I exited the car and made my way to the Challenger.

"What is this place?" I asked as Dom exited his car slowly.

"Twinkie thought it'd be better to hide out here for a while," he replied as Twinkie and another boy approached us.

"Dom, this is Marco Egon. His uncle owns this place," Twink introduced Dom to a tall boy in all black. He wore a leather vest over his clothes that displayed the same crossbones design.

"Nice to meet you, fella. Twink told me you guys are in a bit of a pickle," he said while shaking Dom's hand.

"Yeah, we need a place to lay low and regroup. You sure it's not any imposition?" Dom asked while I took in the patches on his vest. When he turned, I was able to see the large crossbones logo itched on the back, and above it read 'Die Brüder der Zerstörung', a term I was unfamiliar with.

"No imposition at all. Twink here is like family, which makes you all more than welcome."

"What does that mean on the back of your vest?" I asked curiously. "What is this place?"

"As for this place, it's an old hangout of my uncle's. It was a fully functioning garage at one point, but the damn pigs shut him down. He's got a new and better place up, so he didn't mind letting you folks have this one for a while."

"That's generous. Give him a great thanks for us," Dom said appreciatively.

"You still didn't answer my question," I quirked a brow as he narrowed his eyes at me.

"It means Brothers of Destruction. We are motorcycle enthusiasts," he smirked and shrugged.

"Fucking great," I spat. "Trade one psychotic criminal for more psychotic criminals on bikes. Just freaking awesome."

"Hey lady, we aren't the ones you have to worry about," his tone of voice gave me chills, but I shook them off. "I have to head off to a business meeting. You folks come inside when you're ready. You look like you can use some drinks."

"A little help?" Leon called from the passenger seat of the car. I ran over to him and could see the fear and shame in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Lett. I'm sorry I let you down."

"Hey," I said, crouching down to face him, "The only way you could ever let me down is by you not trying. I know shit is tough, but the time for excuses is over. If I have to chain your ass to myself to keep you from reverting back to that shit, don't think I won't."

Leon's face suddenly broke out into a smile as he tried to stand from the car, "That don't sound so bad."

"Don't push it," I shook my head with a smile. I gave him a hard shove back down in the seat and he looked up at me with bewildered eyes. "I love you, Le. But if my kid or my niece comes anywhere near that shit, I swear to God I'll kill you myself. Make sure you let your boys know that."

Leon nodded shakily and attempted to stand from the car. Dom hurried to his side and led him into the building, along with the others. Inside of the building was wide area of open space. The grease spots on the concrete ground proved Marco was truthful about the garage once being run there, but the lingering smell of blood told that much more than bikes and cars were kept at this place. I swallowed the wave of nausea that hit me and followed the others through a side door, which brought us to room that looked to be a saloon at one point. It had a shelves full of liquor behind the bar, and instead of tables filling the room, there were several sofas and even a few pools tables.

Looking around the dingy area, I spotted several more of the biker's logos plastered along the walls and bar top, and the club's name hanging proudly above the liquor shelves. As I entered the room, Mia was approaching me with Julian in her arms. She whispered something in his ear and he looked up at me, a wide smile on his face as he reached his arms out for me to take him. In an instant, all of my worries were gone and a smile was too plastered on my face. I scooped him up and cradled him close, inhaling the innocent scent from his hair.

"Mama leave JuJu," he mumbled with sad eyes.

I didn't reply as I was amazed by his now light-brown eyes. The gray pools had completely changed and his relation to Dominic was even more evident. I smiled warmly at him, smoothing over his curly locks.

"Mama had to help Uncle LeLe. Were you good for Tia Mia?"

"He was an angel," Mia interrupted. She stood with her hands in her pockets and gave me her infamous puppy-dog eyes, a look that worked on anyone in her vicinity. Mia always knew how to work her charm to get what she wanted, and she was damn good at it. "Are you still mad at me, Tiche?"

I groaned at the annoying nickname she gave me years ago, "You know I hate that shit, Mia."

Before I could avoid it, she came barreling at me and wrapped her arms around my neck. I tried to pry her away, but she held on like Velcro.

"Mia, let go," I begged.

"Not until you forgive me. I was a bitch earlier."

"It's not the first time," I commented, but it only made her bear hug tighter. "Okay, okay. I forgive you, Mi. Now, get off," I finally exhaled when she unlatched herself from my neck. I couldn't help but grin; maybe I missed Mia's shenanigans more than I thought.

* * *

"All right guys, listen up," Dom said as he stood behind the bar, passing around a shot of tequila for everyone. "In order to get Luke back safe and sound and get this asshole off our backs, we have to participate in a competition that starts in nine days. Mia, I know Brian and I promised you that the jobs were done, but this is a no-brainer. Whether he or I like it, he's a part of this family now. I refuse to let another one of my brothers down. We don't know much now, only that it's a race to Berlin to retrieve top of the line artillery from a military base. We'll find out more tonight at a briefing."

"You mean steal from the German government? I thought you were crazy before, but I'm almost certain of it now," Twink was the first to speak. "We cannot do that, Dom."

"We don't have a choice," Letty spoke up from her seat on the bar. "If we don't, Luke is dead. Leon too. And all of us just as well."

"This is nuts. I thought jacking moving semis was stupid, but you guys are talking about forcefully entering a foreign military establishment and stealing weapons! That is suicidal!" Mia exclaimed.

"Mi, it's either do this job and save all our asses, or don't and wait for us to be picked off like targets. I'm doing this only because I don't want my daughter to wonder why she had to grow up without parents," Brian spoke up. "Come on, Mia, I need you behind me on this."

Mia shuffled her weight back and forth as she scowled at her husband angrily. Tears filled her lids but she refused to let them fall as everyone kept their eyes on her next move. Looking around at the faces, she realized everyone else seemed to be behind the plan and knew she had no choice but to agree.

Slamming her drink back, Mia slammed the glass down on the bar top and threw her hands up, "Fuck it. Let's do this."

Everyone tossed back their shots and let out cheers of excitement. Brian lifted Mia into the air happily and sat her atop of the bar. He gave her his widest smile and pecked her lips several times.

"This is one sick, twisted family," Dom mumbled to Letty with a grin as he looked at the happy faces surrounding him.

"Yeah," Letty agreed, and turned to him "But they are ours."


	30. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29-The Kingdom**

"How you feeling brother?" Dom asked while stepping into Leon's makeshift bedroom a few hours later.

"Like shit. I'm starving and I'm really groggy, but I'll make it," he replied weakly as he sat up on his elbows.

"Well, Mia is out front cleaning her life away. She doesn't want the kids running around with it looking like a pigsty out there. She found a small kitchen in the back and she said she'd whip you up something," Dom said as he watched Leon struggle with the blankets over his legs.

"Sounds good. Damnit!" Leon griped as he tossed the blankets away in frustrations. Dom sighed sympathetically and untangled the fabrics, lying them over his friend's body. "I feel so fucking weak. I can't do anything on my own. You know how humiliating it was having Mia bathe me? Like I'm some fucking child."

"Yeah, I can see how that would suck," Dom tried to hide his grin but it was no use. "Listen, you're coming down from an intense high. Not all of your normal functions are full capacity yet. Hell, in a few hours you'll probably be having the most insane cravings for that shit in your life. But we're all here for you, Nardo. We are a family, we stick together. I know that hasn't always worked before but we need to make it work now. I don't wanna see you like this. What would Jesse think, man?"

Leon's green eyes brightened at the thought of Jesse, "Jess. He would kill me if he saw me like this. You know, walking home from school back in the day, he would always cross away from the junkies on the corner. They scared him. The way they staggered around, completely trashed and unpredictable. I remember he would always walk for a block on the other side of the street, just so he was out of reach of them," Leon showed his first genuine smile all night at the thought of his buddy. "Look at me, Dom. I'm no better than those junkies that he was terrified of."

"Well, it looks like you've found some motivation to get clean then," Dom said with a small smile.

"Definitely. I'm going to, for him. Make him proud of me for once," Leon nodded confidently.

"Dom, we're ready to head out," Brian said after peeking his head in the room. Dom nodded and stood from the bed.

"Yo Buster," Leon called as Brian was leaving. "Thanks, bro. For everything. Maybe you aren't so bad after all."

"Aw, Leon. That's sweet," Brian teased, "Thanks man. Means a lot. Dom, we'll be out in the car."

"Asshole," Leon muttered playfully as the door shut. "Good luck tonight."

"Don't need luck when you're a Toretto," Dom replied with a toothy smile before disappearing out the door.

"Papa!" Dom was almost out the door before he heard a small voice squealing behind him. Turning around, he noticed Letty leaning in the doorway of their room and Julian heading for him at full speed. He lifted the bubbly boy into the air, filling the clubhouse with his innocent laughter.

"Look at your eyes, Buddy. They look just like Mommy's," Dom looked over at Letty, who's face showed amusement. "They're beautiful."

The temperature in the room spiked as Dom and Letty locked eyes, their chemistry intensifying by each moment.

"I think seeing his father for the first time had something to do with that," she replied with a small smirk.

Dom turned back to his boy with a loving glance. He had his father's nose and smile. Julian even had the same kinky hair Dominic had as a child, but those strong eyes... those expressive, soul-searching chocolate eyes were all Letty. He was the perfect combination of the two, and so smart, Dom thought.

Dom nuzzled him close as he closed in the space between himself and Letty.

"He's so perfect, Letty. You did really great with him. I wish I didn't miss so much of it," Dom spoke solemnly and for a moment, Letty regretted staying dead for so long. Not only was she being angry and spiteful of Dom, but she kept Julian from having an instant relationship with his father. She was ashamed that her pride and pain forced her to keep her son from having a special relationship with his father like she had with her dad. But staring at them now, the way Dom cradled Julian close and the way Julian clung to his neck for dear life, she knew that it wasn't too late.

"Well you didn't miss much. Just the long, sleepless nights and nasty diaper changes," she shrugged with a grin.

"Those are the best moments," he teased. Dom kissed Julian's head before passing him off to Letty. "Carlos, Robbie, and Jerry will be here if anything comes up. Jerry is setting up some cameras he picked up. Better to be safe than sorry. I'll be back soon."

Dom leaned in slowly and planted a soft kiss on her cheek, lingering long enough to smell her mouth-watering perfume.

"Night Lett," he whispered as he pulled away.

Letty's breath hitched from the soft contact. His lips felt so good against her skin.

"Goodnight, Dom," she replied as he turned on his heels for the door. Just before he made it out, she called out to him again. "Please come back, Dom. We … he can't lose you again."

He tried to pretend that he didn't catch her slip-up, but the pounding in his chest said otherwise.

"You won't. I'll see ya later," Dom said and turned out the door.

"Everything all right?" Brian asked from the door of his car.

Dom opened his car door and looked over his shoulder back at the clubhouse with a cheeky smile.

"Perfect. Let's go play with the big boys."

* * *

Hobbs noticed Agent Fuentes alone at the coffee station and knew this was his only chance to win her over. Red had been pulling out all the stops to get her attention: taking over the briefing, answering all the questions, even offering to show her around Virginia on their down time. He never liked mixing business with personal, but he would make an exception for a catch like Monica Fuentes.

"Hey," he approached as she was filling her coffee mug.

Monica looked over with a perfect smile, "Hey. I'll say, Audrina is quite the helpful hand."

Hobbs looked over at Audrina, who was setting up the projector for their presentations. She peered over and gave Monica a sultry wave.

"Yeah, she's just an angel," Hobbs said while glaring daggers at Red. "Anyways. Back there, what you heard... we were just kidding around."

"No you weren't," she replied with a knowing smile. "It's okay. I get that a lot working with males, but I've never been hit on so blatantly before by a woman. That's interesting."

"Well, she's just a big ball of surprises sometimes," he said through clinched teeth. "Hey, why don't you let me take you to dinner this weekend? I know a perfect Cuban place that'll take your mind off this madness for a while?" He asked while giving her his best lady-killer smile.

"Listen, you're really sweet and maybe a different time in my life I would've fallen for that gorgeous smile and-" Monica's eyes traveled the length of his arms and over his massive pecs as she cleared her throat, "impressive muscles, but like I said, I'm here for business. So thank you, but no thank you. Besides, Audrina beat you to it; she's taking me for Sushi Friday night."

Monica turned and sauntered away and Luke couldn't help but watch her hips as they swayed persuasively. He jogged to catch up to her, "But you just said-"

"I could use a female friend. Like I said," Monica looked over at her and shrugged, "She's interesting."

As Monica walked away, one of Hobb's team members, Jason, walked over with a grin. "Ouch. Audrina, one. Luke, zilch."

"Shut your mouth, Swanson. I like my kitty with claws, anyways. That's why I got into this job, I love the chase."

* * *

The address given to Dominic led the remaining guys to an enormous nightclub in Munich. The place was large and black, with castle-like tops and neon lights glowing near the entrance doors. The club's name - _Das Königreich_ – was also enlightened in green lights across the building. There was a line wrapping around the corner and the music from the inside pulsated well out into the streets. Brian and Twink pulled in to the lot next, followed by James in his Lancer and parked near the rear of the building, where the parking was less crowded. Dom wanted to be able to gun it out of there if it was a setup.

Exiting the car, Dom looked up at the monstrosity that was the nightclub, watching as a group of people stumbled out the back door.

"Is this the right place? Cuz this might not be so bad after all," Sean said as a group of women sauntered past with flirty smiles.

"Twink, can you read that?" Dominic asked, pointing to the name.

"_Das Königreich_. Königreich means kingdom, if I remember right. The Kingdom?" he questioned, more than stated.

"Heavily armed, Dom," Brian noted as he counted four armed men in black suits circling the building and one guarding both the entrance and exit.

"Cut that shit out, cop. You'll get us killed," Sean sniped at Brian, reminding Dom that their rivalry was still intact.

"Hey, not now," Dom pointed at the both of them as Brian opened his mouth to retort. "But he is right. We're gonna have to be smart about this. Let's stay quiet, stay unseen. No trouble," Dom stated firmly and waved them all behind him.

The guys decided to go to the front of the line and test the waters. Dom approached the bouncer first, who was a few inches taller and about fifty pounds heavier with a long beard.

"Did you miss the line?" he snarled as he crossed him arms over his chest.

"We have a meeting. Alvaro Koenig sent us," Dom said, showing a look of indifference. He wasn't intimidated by the man's larger stature.

"I don't give-" the bouncer started when a man in a blue suit and a bright smile placed a hand on his shoulder. He had bleach-blonde hair and piercing blue eyes but looked friendly.

"Wait, did you say Koenig? What's your name, Champ?" the man, whom spoke perfect English, asked while tossing back a shot.

"Toretto," Dom said, never taking his eyes off the scowling bouncer.

"Oh yeah, man! He told me you folks would be here soon. Come on in," the bouncer stepped to the side while staring Dominic down, moving the rope to let the boys through. "Follow me."

Entering the club, they were assaulted by wall-shattering techno music and mass array of people that filled the establishment. Women were dancing everywhere, even in cages that hung high in the sky. Dom was instantly amazed by the amount of people in the club, it reminded him of the clubs back home in L.A.

"Hey, my name's Brandon Slythe. Welcome to the Kingdom," he held his arms out wide as the boys looked on hypnotized. "You fellas want a drink? Want a dance? The ladies here love pleasing our partyers, if you catch my drift," he laughed.

"Hell yeah-" Twink answered giddily, but Sean nudged him in the arm.

"No thanks. We're here for business," Dom refused politely.

"Oh, come on. Hey honey," Brandon stopped a half-naked woman who was passing by, pulling her over to them,"Get my friends some drinks. And show my good buddy here a nice time," he said, tossing an arm around Twink. Twink looked over at Dom with wide hopeful eyes.

"So much for staying hidden. Go. Stay out of trouble," Dom gave him the OK and watched as the beautiful brunette led him away by hand. "James, watch him," James nodded and tossed him arm over a blonde's shoulders as he walked away. "When does this briefing start?"

"Now," Brandon waved them through the crowd to the other side of the club. They traveled through a door that led them down a flight of stairs to another door. Entering, they realized they were in a large basement area where dozens of people stood in groups around a fence. Inside the fence was two relatively built men sparring bare-knuckled, both bloodied and swollen from the battle. After watching one of them get dropped by a hard fist, Brandon stepped into the cage to call the fight. "All right. Now that all of the parties are here, welcome to the Kingdom!"

The spectators cheered him on as he continued, "As you know, we have a competition beginning in nine days - The Race to Berlin. Seven teams of five will race to Berlin, Germany on a retrieval mission of five suitcases. Because this mission is of top secrecy, no one will know where the goal is until the start of the race. Right now, Ms. Alena is passing around two-ways. Every day until the day of the competition you will get clues regarding the race. If you lose it, well don't bother coming back down here for another one. If you start too soon, you might miss a clue that would prove helpful on your ride, so be patient."

"What do we get out of this? Why us?" a short, Japanese man asked from across the room.

"Each of you have been chosen carefully by a set of skills you possess. Some are professional drivers, some are professional criminals. Some of you are just crazy enough and that's what it'll take for this special mission. I'll tell you now, boys. Not everyone in this room will return. If you aren't a big boy up for the challenge, then you can turn on your high-heels and head for that door to join the rest of the ladies," he paused for a moment, but the room remained stagnant. "Good to know we have some men in this room. As for what you get for your hard work. Well... once you return with the desired items, there will be a cash prize of 200 million dollars."

The room instantly erupted with shouts of cheers and happiness. Dom, Brian, and Sean each had a face of pure bliss as they saw nothing but dollars signs flashing before their eyes. Brian even began laughing hysterically and patting Sean on the back. Even Sean was too excited to notice the contact.

"I knew that would get your attention. Your ultimate goal is to bring back all five suitcases as a team. Each are worth fifty million dollars. That's fifty million for each member, maybe more, depending on who makes it back alive."

"What if only five teams come back with one? Can we keep the money?" another man from a different team spoke.

"If I were you, I'd try to make sure _only_ your team comes home with the money," Brandon's words were clear.

The task was simple - kill or be killed.

"You think we're the only ones who know what this is about?" Brian leaned over and whispered to Dom.

He shook his head, "It's too many men involved. I don't think they'd want the military to know we're coming. We can thank Alvaro and his pull for our advantage," Dom replied quietly.

"All right, settle down. Now, because this is top secret, we will not take the risk of any of you squealing. If this gets out to anyone in this room, or if we even suspect you are a rat, you will be taken out of the competition... _permanently_. Trust me, we will have a way of making sure those cases aren't moved before we start."

The energy suddenly grew tense in the room. Dom took a good look around the room at the men and few women lining the fence and knew they had their hands full. These men looked like the most ruthless, dangerous men he had come across yet; covered in tattoos, fit and tone, a look of grave intent in their eyes. Dom didn't fear much – only God and his father – but he knew he these men wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet in his head for fifty million dollars.

"You will receive your first message tomorrow. Class dismissed," Brandon bowed and the men began dispersing from the room.

Dom and the others left the room and returned to the booming dance floor, where the party hadn't missed a beat. As promised, a dancer was standing at the door with shots waiting for each of them. The boys obliged her happily and took the drinks as they made their way for the door.

"So do we have a plan for this yet? Or are we gonna wing it?" Sean yelled with a grin as he followed Dominic in the hunt for their friends.

"Come on, Sean. A Toretto always has a plan," Dom replied cheekily as he searched amongst the mass of people.

"That means he has no fucking clue," Brian teased. "Over there, on the stage," Brian pointed to a stage in the near distance where Twink was in between a dancing set of twins. He had a glorious look of pleasure and happiness on his face. Below the stage was James with a busty redhead on his lap.

"Boys," Dom muttered and whistled at the boys. He caught Twink's attention and he whispered to in the ear of the twins, causing them to leave the stage with him. James followed suit and brought his woman along as the men left the club.

"Twinkie, you mentioned something about cars before? Now would be a good time to know more," Dom said as they walked out to the cars.

"Don't worry, bruh. These toys we're riding in now are nothing. Tomorrow night, we go to the races," he smiled happily and slid in the Lancer with the others.

Brian looked over his shoulder at Dom with an infectious, adrenaline-hungry grin and Dom couldn't help but feel excited. He loved nothing more than that rush.

* * *

Letty sat curled in front of the TV in the main room with puppy Jessie in her lap while watching Julian and Brooklyn play with a pile of toys mixed with cars, dolls, and blocks. She smiled down at the babies, happy that they had each other to distract them from the nonsense surrounding their family. Little Brooklyn was such a sweet girl, definitely taking after her mother's personality. She was only a few months older than Julian, but she certainly took on the older sibling role, keeping Julian out of trouble. Letty was thankful for that, especially with her mind being pulled in so many different directions.

"I'm all done, chica. Anyone pops up, it'll show on this screen here," Jerry pointed to a small TV above the bar. "I'll be in my room."

Letty nodded and waved a goodnight to Jerry. Mia entered the room at the time and made her way to the sofa to take seat next to Letty.

"How's Leon?" Letty asked as Mia sat down.

"Well he finally got some food in him, but he's a mess. I don't think he'll be able to sleep at all, worried about Lucas," she replied sadly. "How are you?"

"Tired, cranky, horny, the usual," Letty quipped with a small smile.

"I saw that little exchange with you and my brother earlier," Mia said with a smile. "Are you warming up to him again?"

Letty knew that look in Mia's eyes – the matchmaker. She had tried shamelessly for years to help Letty show Dominic the err of his ways, creating fond memories as the matchmaker between the two. She drove Letty mad with the makeovers and awkward comments - she was determined to make Letty her real sister since they were teens.

"Who knows," Letty shrugged, "Can I say I hate him less?"

"You could but I'd know that's bullshit," Mia whispered while turning completely in her seat to face Letty. Letty sighed and sat Jessie in the floor as she prepared for the attack. "You like him."

"Jesus, Mia. What are you, twelve?"

"Just admit it, Lett. You like my brother again," Mia smiled widely.

"I like the idea of Dominic being a good father to our son," she stated matter-of-factly "And maybe I kinda missed him."

Mia launched a pillow at her friend, "I knew it! As much of an a-hole he is, you two nutjobs are meant to be together."

Letty laughed as she thought about Mia's words. "I just don't know if I can trust Dom like that again. He really screwed me up last time around, Mi."

"I know that. But at least give him a chance to fix it. Give him time to win his family back."

"JuJu loves him... he's already so attached. I don't want things to get crazy and your brother to run off again. I won't be able to handle that again."

"You know things will get crazy, and he will run off again.. but this time with his family. Lett, Dom has been depressed without you. Ever since you showed up with Julian, he's smiled more now than he had in the past few years. He's not going anywhere."

Letty wanted to believe her friend, that Dom was here to stay this time, but a part of her still worried. She didn't want to put Julian through a loss that would devastate him early on, but she knew with the ever-growing list of warrants out for Dom, it'd be hard to stay incognito forever. At some point, she knew his luck would run out and he would again be faced with the decision that he had to make in the Dominic Republic. She just hoped that with Julian there, Dom would take him into consideration before disappearing into the night.

"What if he does, Mia? How can you be so sure?"

Mia looked down, her smile wavering slightly as she fiddled with her hands, "I'm not."


	31. Chapter 30

**Thanks for all the reviews! Also, thanks for pointing out my flub on the last chapter. What I was trying to get across is that Julian was conceived that final night in the DR and was born while Letty was on the run. Mia found out she was pregnant in Rio, so Letty is quite a ways along in her pregnancy by then. So to clear it up, (for myself as well), Julian is older than Brooklyn, but only by a few months. Hope that helps!**

**Chapter 30-Last Night**

_**Dom's POV**_

The next morning, I woke with a loud groan from the sofa in the living room. My neck was incredibly stiff and ached like hell. I cracked it as I stood from the hard couch with a stretch. It definitely wasn't bought for sleeping. As far as I could tell, I was the only one awake so I took advantage of the free shower as I tried to remember for the life of me why I was sleeping on the couch.

Standing in front of the mirror, the exhaustion wore heavy on my face and in my eyes and I could feel it throughout my body. A day off from the madness with Letty and Julian would easily wipe away my fatigue, but I knew I couldn't rest until this was over. Running my hands over my face, I was hit by the smell of strawberries and cream. Smelling my fingers again with a smile, I remembered how I ended the night on the sofa with a stiff neck.

_**The night before... **_

_We arrived back at the clubhouse at 1:45 in the morning. The place was blacked out, indicating that everyone was already in bed for the night. I was thankful for that; I knew it would make it harder to sleep knowing any of us could be dead in over a week._

_Shaking off the thought, I figured morning would be as good a time as any to fill them in on the game._

"_Boys, do not wake anyone. Keep it down, guys," I warmed Twinkie and James sternly as we crept through the side door of the building. Everyone quickly dispersed, leaving me alone in the living room. I knew my busy mind would allow me to sleep for a while, so I flopped down in front of the television._

_I flipped through the channels, scanning the news for any coverage of the family or our whereabouts. I hadn't forgotten about Robocop Hobbs, who was making it his life's mission to take us down. I knew he was still coming, I wasn't that naive. I just hoped we could be out of Germany before he came busting down doors._

_After a few minutes, my mind drifted to Rosa and Nico. I hadn't called her in a few weeks, so I decided to check in on her. __The phone rang a few times before she answered._

"_Hello?"_

"_Hey Rosa, it's D. Is this a bad time? I completely forgot about the time difference."_

"_No, it's not too late," the sleepiness in her voice told me she was lying. "How are things? How is Mia? And Brooklyn?"_

"_Things are OK, the girls are fine. Where's my nephew? How is the little guy?"_

"_As rotten as ever. He's a little hellion, but he keeps me on my toes."_

"_Sounds like Vince's kid," I laughed, and she returned it. Her laughter made me smile. It was nice to see her holding up after Vince's death._

"_But he's at my mother's tonight. Giving me some time to get my thesis paper ready for the professor. How are thing's with Ms. Elena? I haven't seen her around town much lately."_

_I shuttered at the name. Elena I had forgotten about. "I'm surprised Mia didn't call. Elena and I didn't work it out. She just wasn't the right one."_

_As I spoke, I heard footsteps heading my way. Looking over my shoulder, I noticed Letty leaning against the door frame. She looked at me with sleepy eyes before making her way over to the couch, flopping down at the other end. She grabbed the remote from my hands and began surfing the channels._

"_And how do you know she wasn't? You guys seemed to really hit it off."_

_Staring at Letty, I couldn't stop the words from leaving my mouth, "Because the right one was here all along. I was just too blinded to see it."_

_Letty's fingers stopped punching at the remote and she looked at me out the corner of her eye. She didn't react or speak; she only quirked a brow and gave a small smirk._

_I loved that smirk._

"_Well I'm glad, D. You deserve some happiness. More than what that deathtrap you drive gives you."_

"_Thanks. I'll let you get back to sleep. Kiss Nico for me," Rosa said her goodbyes and I shoved the phone back into my pocket. "Did I wake you?" I asked Lett softly._

"_No, I couldn't sleep. Julian's worse to sleep with than you are," she teased and curled her feet up beneath her. "Who was that?"_

"_Vince's... Rosa was Vince's girlfriend when he was alive. They had a son together, Nico. He's almost four."_

"_God, I can't believe V is gone. First Jesse, then V," she said sadly._

"_Han, too," I added and she looked at me with shock in her eyes. I nodded an confirmation, "Yeah, Tokyo. Car explosion."_

"_Wow," she said solemnly. "How'd it go tonight? I thought I smelled cheap perfume and silicone."_

_I chuckled, "Yeah. The meet was at some nightclub. Twinkie and the blue-haired kid found cuddle buddies."_

"_Nice. What about you? Any good looking cops around?"_

_The twinkle in her eyes let me know that her words weren't ill-intentioned. "Not exactly. Though the bouncer seemed to really to a liking to me."_

_Shaking her head, she slugged me in the thigh and muttered 'ass'. It was nice to see a genuine smile out of her._

"_You should get some rest. It's been a tough day."_

"_Not yet. Can I stay out here with you?" her lids were heavy with sleep, but hopeful and it made it hard to say no._

"_Is he gonna be all right alone?"_

_Letty shocked me when she crawled closer and laid her head in my lap, gripping her hand around my thigh as she snuggled closer. "He sleeps like a rock. I, on the other hand, do not."_

_Out of habit, I began running my fingers through her tangled hair, the smell of her strawberry shampoo attacking my nostrils. She didn't seem to mind, so I continued as I stared happily at the television, though my mind was on her. _

"_You're all right, Toretto," was the last thing she muttered before her breaths evened out and she fell asleep. I smiled and flicked off the tube, dropping my head to the back of the couch for some shut-eye. I didn't dare try to move or wake her, so I prepared for an agonizing night of sleep._

As I snapped back to the present, I noticed myself grinning like an idiot in the mirror. That innocent moment with her had been the happiest night in the past few years. As I stripped naked, and climbed in the shower, I prayed for more moments like that with Letty.

* * *

_**Letty's POV**_

Dominic's heavy footsteps passing my door woke me the next morning. I couldn't believe how in tune with each other we still were after so much time apart. I could recognize the heaviness of his steps over anyone's, even in my sleep. I rolled over onto my back and thought about the night before, a smile creeping onto my face. I could still smell his cologne on my tank top.

I covered my face as I grinned like a school-girl with a crush. Being that close to him caused the feelings that I buried in Honduras to come flooding back. My heart raced as I replayed the night before in my head.

_**The night before...**_

_I tossed and turned in bed as I struggled to get to sleep. Julian was a nightmare to share a bed with, especially with his rolling and flying limbs. I was having a hard time sleeping already being so worried about the guys, and my motherly instincts had me a little high-strung. Julian's wild slumber was only adding to my draining night. _

_After laying in the dark for another twenty minutes, I heard a few cars kicking up gravel outside. I exhaled a breath as I jumped from the bed and peeked out the window, thankful to see the three cars in the lot. I watched as they exited the cars, my attention zoning in on the giggling and high-pitched voices of the bimbos hopping out as well. I watched the Challenger with hawk-eyes, silently praying that another half-naked tramp wouldn't step out. My prayers were answered as I saw Dominic step out with Sean instead and make his way for the building._

_I moved to the doorway of my room and waited for him to pass, but he didn't. I listened as he clicked on the TV, then proceeded to make a phone call. Who the hell would he be calling at this time of night? Never one to be shy about eavesdropping, I listened in as he spoke to someone named Rosa and my heart began to pound erratically._

"_Elena and I didn't work it out. She just wasn't the right one," I caught the end of his response._

_I leaned against the door frame and his tense shoulders let me know that he knew I was there. My guard instantly went back up at the mention of his ex-girlfriend, Elena. I didn't hate her because she was with Dominic; I didn't like her because she was the one who made him forget about me. Sure, he had other women after I "died", but he almost settled for a cop. He opened up to the enemy._

_That wouldn't be easily forgotten._

_Dominic looked over his shoulder and I made my way to sit on the other end of the couch. I snatched the remote from his hands and tried to find something to distract me, but I couldn't stop listening in. I could feel his eyes zoning in on me, but I forced myself to keep flipping._

"_Because the right one was here all along. I was just too blinded to see it."_

_My body froze as Dom's words hung heavy in the air. With the television long-forgotten, I peered out the corner of my eye and I could see him still watching me. My stomach tickled with butterflies as I replayed his words in my head. 'The right one was here all along.' It wasn't hard to figure out he was speaking of me, and all I could do was raise a brow and smirk._

_I finally settled on some boat racing program as he ended his call. He stuffed his cell phone back in his pocket and turned to me._

"_Did I wake you?" he asked gently._

"_No, I couldn't sleep. Julian's worse to sleep with than you are," I joked, curling my feet underneath me and turned to him. "Who was that?"_

_I listened as he explained Rosa to me. My heart quickly sank at the memory of Vince. He had been with the Toretto family for years, longer than myself, and I still couldn't accept the fact that he was gone. I could only imagine how Rosa felt. If she was able to get the Coyote to settle down and have children, then there was a strong love the two shared and I was sad that she'd never get it back. _

"_God, I can't believe V's gone. First Jesse, then V," I said sadly, thinking about the bearded brute who became one of my best friends, the brother I never had. It was hard to think of the best street racing team in L.A and not think of the muscle in the Maxima. _

"_Han, too," Dom said and my jaw dropped from shock. He nodded, "Yeah, Tokyo. Car explosion."_

_Han was another "brother" lost in the battle. He and I weren't as close as the others, but it still hurt me that he didn't make it. All I could respond with was 'wow'._

_Changing the topic, I asked him how things went at the meet. I assumed it went pretty well by the amount of skanky women who came back with them._

_He laughed and my stomach did a flip. That deep chuckle always turned my body to mush. "Yeah. The meet was at some nightclub. Twink and the blue-haired kid found cuddle buddies."_

"_Nice," I said, "What about you? Any good looking cops around?" My smile showed that I was only kidding. He would never live the cop down._

"_Not exactly. Though the bouncer seemed to take a liking to me."_

_I shook my head and slugged him in the thigh for being a smart-ass. He laughed again and it was contagious; it was nice to have an innocent moment with Dom, especially with all the violence and drama surrounding us. It reminded me of the old days, when he and I would stay up well into the morning, talking and laughing while sneaking beers and snacks._

"_You should get some rest. It's been a tough day," he said and my smile was quickly gone. I was enjoying his company and I didn't want the night to end, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep my eyes open._

"_Not yet," I refused. "Can I stay out here with you?"_

_Dom looked toward the door, then back at me, "Is he gonna be all right alone?"_

_I wasted no time crawling over to lie my head in his lap and snuggle up against his warmth. "He sleeps like a rock. I, on the other hand, do not."_

_I felt Dom's hand quickly move to my hair and start running his fingers through it, untangling the messy web of hair and caressing my scalp with his fingers._

_I missed moments like this with Dom. I missed him trying to calm me by playing with my hair, it always worked. Forgetting the outside world, we focused on each other as if we were the only ones here. I missed moments like these, so I didn't stop him as he smoothed my hair over._

"_You're all right, Toretto," I mumbled with a grin before I felt myself slowly drifting off to sleep._

"Mama!" Julian's yell snapped me back reality. He was lying on his side, so I turned to face him.

"Good morning, JuJu. What's wrong?"

"Potty," was all he said. We were in the process of getting Julian potty-trained and it wasn't as hard as I thought. Julian was a pleaser, so he happily obliged in the small pot we picked up in Honduras. I scooped him up and rushed down the hall to the only full bathroom in the place. I tried to open the door, but the lock was jammed. When I noticed Julian holding his crotch, I knew it wouldn't be long before we were both soaked.

"Come outta there. Julian has to go," I banged on the door, uncaring of the other sleeping patrons.

The door opened suddenly, revealing a shocked face behind the door.

"He uses the potty?" Dom asked, gripping a towel around his waist.

"Trying to, if you would move," I teased, pushing past him and flopping Julian down on the toddler toilet. It took a lot to ignore his dripping-wet body, and I do so by not looking in his direction.

Dom watched in amazement as his two-and-a-half year-old son balanced himself on the small pot.

"I missed the potty-training," he said, his eyes lost on his boy.

"Eh, somewhat. He still wears a pull-up at night. Sometimes he'll tell me if he has to go. Other times, I catch him with the pull-up around his ankles and a puddle of piss on the floor."

Dom's lips curled into a proud smile, "That's my boy."

I shook my head with a smile.

A shrill ringing interrupted our talk. Dom jogged to the living room to pick up a phone from the table. I helped Julian up from the potty and rushed out the room.

"Time to get up! Family meeting," Dom's deep voice rang out. This sent Julian into a fit of giggles as he clapped his hands excitedly.

I smiled down at the happy smile on his face as he stared at Dom expectantly.

"He likes your roar," I said surprisingly.

"Guys, come on! Let's move," Dom yelled again and grinned wide when Julian reacted again. "It usually scares the hell out of Brooklyn. Looks like you'll be doing the disciplining, Mom" he joked. "I gotta get dressed," he pointed to his son as he walked away, "You're a cool kid."

I looked down at Julian with a proud smile, "Come on, buddy. Let's get changed."

* * *

_**Lucas' POV**_

"Ay fella... wake up fella."

A soft voice called out to me, startling me from my slumber. I lifted my head and shrieked in agony from the pain that shot through my body. My head ached and my vision was shit, I couldn't shake the stars from my eyes. I squeezed them shut for a moment. When I reopened them, things were a lot clearer. A young man stood in front of me with long, dark hair and bright blue eyes. His facial features made me believe he was way too young to be in a place like this.

I turned my attention to my surroundings, horrified by the stench of the cold room I was in. It was a heavy smell of bleach, but it couldn't mask the smell of a rotting animal, though I was sure it was more gruesome than some roadkill. I was seated in a computer chair in nothing but the white gown I left the hospital in, and my hands were locked together by unbelievably heavy, thick chains. I tried yanking them apart, but an even larger chain connecting them to a massive utility pump that sat idle in the corner of the room promised that I wouldn't be free anytime soon.

"What is this place? Who are you?" I asked as I tried to push away but he grabbed the larger chain before I could.

"Your only hope for surviving the next week alive, unless you'd like me to leave," he snapped, looking over his shoulder cautiously. "I've watched uncle Alvie torture dozens of men in this very room. I refuse to be apart of another man's death because of him, so I'm going to help you. If you want to make it out of here alive, do everything I say and never tell anyone you saw me here."

"What's your name? How did I get here?" There were plenty of questions I wanted answered, but this kid wasn't the friendly type. Instead, he rubbed a grease-like substance on my wrists under the cuffs, which helped sooth the sensitive skin under the leather material.

"I'm Erik. I heard my uncle talking to Abel. He's the company doctor. They transferred you out of the hospital late last night. You don't remember anything?"

I tried to think of the night before, but nothing came to mind, "Last thing I remember is being at home. I was talking to Dominic, then I remember seeing my brother. Oh god... Leon," I began to panic as I remembered Le being held captive as well. "Is my brother OK? Tell me he's OK."

"I have no idea, he's not here," the boy called Erik used a small flashlight and shined it directly into my eyes, jotting some notes down on a pad. "Your vitals are stable, though you have some nasty cuts to your head that need stitched up. Heart rate is a little high, but that's to be expected."

Erik proceeded to pull some items from a small kit and stitched up several open, bleeding wounds on my head. I ignored the pain as his words played back in my head. _He's not here_. Was I dreaming or hallucinating? I needed to know for sure about my brother.

"What do you mean he's not here? I saw him."

"You did. He was here, now he's not. He showed up guns-blazing. The idiot got my best friend killed," the kid's voice croaked as he poured a strong-smelling liquid over my head. "Relax, it's only alcohol. That should take care of the bleeding for now. Your brother made the mistake in underestimating my uncle and it resulted in Alana's death. I will not forgive him for that, but you don't deserve this."

"I'm sorry about your friend, but I really need to find my brother. Did he say anything? Did he look all right?"

"Uncle Alvie had been pumping him with meth. He showed up, dropped off a bag of cash. When he saw you, he lost it. He was captured and held, but your friends came for him," Erik walked over to a small tray in the corner and brought over a bottled water and a sandwich.

"This sandwich isn't gonna kill me, is it?" I asked cautiously as I held it between my fingers.

"I wouldn't be in here if I wanted you dead. I'd let them take care of you," he said, jerking his head towards the door. "Now, I've been told to stay away from the guests he brings, but after the last guy came through here, I can't sit and do nothing. If I do, I'm just as bad as he is."

"You speak pretty good English. How old are you, kid?" I asked the boy as I chewed through the disgusting sandwich.

"Sixteen. I was born in America. After my mother was killed in a car accident four years ago, my grandfather arranged for me to live with my uncle. I've been here ever since, no matter how hard I try to escape."

I noticed his wrists also had bruises, and there were faint scars along his neck. I wondered what kind of man would torture his own nephew, but I realized this Alvaro Koenig was one twisted fuck. He didn't care about laws or family, only the power that came from peddling one of the most dangerous drugs known. Erik was swift to pull down the sleeves of his shirt, hiding the many bruises and lacerations that covered his arms.

"You said my friends came for him. You know who?"

"A big bald guy, a blond guy, and a really pretty woman. They agreed to do the competition for my Uncle. He would only release one of you," Erik said while taking the last of the sandwich and discarding it. I was thankful for the water and quickly downed it in nearly one gulp. He held out a few mystery pills, "They'll help with the pain."

I didn't know why, but I trusted this kid. He was helping me more than hurting, so I obliged and took the pills. Erik laid a small, wool blanket at my feet and I couldn't wait to wrap it around my shivering body. He worked swiftly to pack up his tray of supplies and was almost out the door before I could stop him.

"Erik," he looked over his shoulder with a hand on the door, "Thank you for your kindness."

He gave a small smile, though it didn't fit him. It was clear this boy didn't do much smiling. He nodded and gave a curt nod before disappearing out of the door. I stood carefully on wobbly legs as the weight of the heavy chain wore my arms down quickly. I sat down on the cold, concrete floor before wrapping the thick blanket around my body. My mind drifted to Leon, then to Letty and Dom. They had come for Leon, but left me here. I was thankful that Le was in safe hands, but I couldn't help wondering if it was Dom's choice to choose Leon over myself. No doubt he wouldn't care to leave me in here; he would have free reign with Letty that way. I just hoped that Letty liked me enough to come back for me.

Or anyone, for that matter.


	32. Chapter 31

**Sorry for the wait! I recently got promoted at work, and now that's taking up a lot of my free time. I'll continue updating, but it might not be as often. I love this story, though, so I'll do my best to make time for it.**

**On another note, the new trailer for FF6 has my mind going into a tailspin! It's awesome to see Letty back in the movies! My anxiety is through the roof regarding Dotty though. I cannot wait to see how that plays out. If you haven't seen the trailer, please go find it! **

**One last note - if you haven't seen Vin Diesel's Valentine's Day viral video of him performing "Stay" by Rihanna for his girlfriend, I suggest you stop what you're doing right now and look it up. It's touching to see such a macho man in a sensitive light.**

**Chapter 31-Teaming up**

**Day 1.**

The team gathered in the living room as they waited to have their family meeting. The mood was uplifting, which was strange to some considering the madness they had been through over the past few weeks. Everyone seemed happy, or at least content as they filled the room with chatter. Even Leon seemed relaxed as he cradled the pup Jessie in his arms in a chair, listening to James' relive his night before.

Everyone noticed a change in Dom and Letty as well, though no one was brave enough to speak on it. The two were like magnets that morning, seemingly attached as they followed each other around the clubhouse like school children. Whether it was flirty stares from across the room, or brushing against each other behind the bar, the two were obviously back on good terms and weren't doing a good job at hiding it, at least from Mia. When the younger Toretto found the couple sleeping together on the small, leather sofa, she couldn't stop herself from jumping from joy. She even managed to click a few pictures to savor the tender moment. Being that she knew Letty would hate to wake up feeling vulnerable, she quietly woke Letty and guided her to bed with Julian before anyone could find them.

Mia couldn't have been happier to see her brother and best friend talking again. She knew that no matter who came in the picture, those two had a bond that couldn't – _wouldn't _be easily broken. Mia knew it would take a long time before things between the two were normal again, but she was ecstatic to see them getting along.

"All right, gang. I called this meeting to discuss this competition," Dom started. "It's probably the most dangerous, risky job we've done, but I think we can pull this off. But we need to make this choice as a team, as a family."

"What's the payout?" Leon asked.

"Let's discuss the job, first, Le. I want to make sure everyone is on the same page," Dom replied and went on to explain the details of the job. He emphasized how dangerous robbing the German government would be, getting caught or killed would mean the end of the Toretto's run forever. It wouldn't be easy, but pulling it off would mean a life of luxury for all of them. They could quit the jobs for good and settle down quietly with more money then they could count. "All we have to do is retrieve those bags of guns. As soon as we have the cash in hand, we get the hell out of Germany."

"This is crazy as hell, Dominic. Five drivers against the German army? I'd rather be hanging off a speeding semi," Letty scoffed as she took in the news.

"I know it's way off our scale, but this is the only way we get these people off our backs. This is the only way we can get Luke out of there," Dom said with pleading eyes. He knew it would be hard getting everyone on track, but they had no choice.

"How do we know this is legit? It could be some death race, setting us all up to be extinguished as soon as we touch Berlin soil," Twinkie asked nervously from his spot at the bar.

"This is legit," Brian spoke up, "Too many top dogs with heavy pockets. If these guns are exclusive as they say, they will be dying to get their hands on them. All we have to do is get them."

"So what's the payout? It has to be huge for something like this," Leon asked again.

"Two-hundred and fifty mill. Fifty million each bag," Dom replied and he was met with gasps of shock and excitement. Looking around the room, Dom seemed to have peaked everyone's interest.

Everyone except Mia.

"What's wrong, Bella?" he asked softly.

"Who are your drivers?" she asked, anxiety written all over her face.

"Whoever wants in. But I need racers with skill and precision. Obviously Brian and I are in. Who else?"

"I want some," Sean spoke up with a grin. Dom nodded with a smile; he knew Sean was more than capable to taking down any racer, and stupid enough to challenge an army. He was the perfect candidate.

"Since I'm a way better driver than you three," James said, pointing to Carlos, Rob, and Jerry, "I'll definitely take some of that action. It's been a while since I've done something this dangerous. I'm excited."

"You mean last night wasn't dangerous enough?" Twink teased, reminding everyone of the blonde disaster that stumbled out of the house that morning. Laughter spread across the room and Twinkie ducked as a pillow came flying his way.

"All right, one more," Dom said with a smile, looking around at the family. He didn't know Carlos or Rob very well, the two stuck together and didn't give him too much grief, so he didn't mind them tagging along. They had trouble keeping up on the drive out of Munich, so he knew neither would be right for such a tough job. His eyes landed on Jerry. Dom realized that he reminded him very much of Jesse; he was quiet, fidgety, and a whiz with electronics, but that's where the similarities ended. He wasn't skilled under the hood or behind the wheel, but his knowledge in technology would prove useful in the weeks to come.

"I could call up Rome. I'm sure he's broke by now," Brian said with a smile.

"No. He's too mouthy. We need a fresh team that can move under the radar," Dom responded.

His eyes finally landed on Letty, who was nursing a cold beer on the bar top. She was the best choice for the job, as much as he hated to admit it. Other than him, no one could drive better than Letty and no one was more ballsy. She was fearless and addicted to this kind of thrill, Dom had no doubt that she would thrive back in familiar territory.

"Lett..." he trailed off as she looked at him curiously. "What do you say?"

"I say I'm not leaving my child an orphan. Find someone else," she shook her head adamantly as she chugged the rest of her beer.

"There is no one else," Dom moved to stand in front of her, and gazed longingly into her eyes. "I need you."

"What about him? What's gonna happen to him when his daddy is killed or Mommy is captured by the freaking government? I refuse to leave him. He will not grow up alone," she said firmly.

Dom placed his hand on her thigh and stepped closer, now standing between her legs as he looked into her eyes.

"I never imagined having a child, especially after I thought I lost you. Julian is the coolest, smartest, cutest little guy and I don't want to miss anymore moments. I promise you – I will not let anything happen to him or us," the sincerity was clear on his face, but Letty couldn't get her mind off the hand that was gripping her thigh. His thumb was rubbing small circles and sending shock waves up her body, leaving her breathless for a moment. "I want to have a family, with you and him. Together. Let's just do this last job and we'll retire. For good."

Letty thought for a moment about her choice before nodding, "OK, Dom. But the first sign comes up that he's in jeopardy, we bail. With or without you."

Dom gave her leg one final squeeze before leaning in to kiss her cheek. "You won't have to. We got this."

"So what does the first clue say?" Sean asked.

Pulling the two-way from his pocket, Dom read the message aloud.

"Welcome to the Race to Berlin. As you know, you're going to need top notch cars to make it to the destination first. I don't care how you get them, we'll leave that up to you. You'll also need to choose a leader for your team. He will need to come to the address provided and speak to Johann. Johann will give you a bag, and inside will be five color trackers. These trackers will need to be installed in each driver's car by midnight. If you do not have them tagged by midnight, you will be eliminated from the competition, and your team rep will be out five million dollars. None of you want that. Good luck gentlemen."

"So this means we'll need new cars. I'm not putting my Nissan in harms way," Letty said as Dom closed the two-way.

"Twink, let's hear about those races now," Dom replied and turned to the young man.

"Alright, well they are back in Munich. While I lived in Berlin, a few friends and I would always travel there for the races. Those cats out there have deep pockets and they love to flash it. They have some of the top of the line cars, and for the most part, they know how to race 'em. Hot spot, but the competition is intense," he said skeptically. "They are run by the Günther family. These people are loaded, they own a chain of restaurants all over Europe or something. Frank Günther and his crew dominated the streets of Munich for decades, until Frank did a fifteen-year bid for taking part in a race that killed three bystanders. Now, he just sits on the sideline and let's his loud-mouth son, Otto, do the racing."

"He any good?" Dom questioned with a smirk, his interest peaked. He loved taking on new challenges, especially shoving that silver spoon down the throat of any punk who thought he was a better driver simply because he had more money. Dominic and his family had never had a lot of money, but that didn't stop him from being one of the most commanding street racers out there.

"Could you beat him? Yes. Do you want to? No," Twink shook his head. "They don't take well to losing – especially to newcomers."

"How hard would it be to get us in a few slips races?" Letty asked while smiling at Dominic. She knew that look in his eyes. It was determination.

"Not hard, but not cheap either. 10G buy-in for slips, 5G for exhibition races."

"That's steep. Twink, what are our chances of walking in there and walking out with new cars alive?" Brian got straight to the point. He knew what it was like to be the new kid at the races; the crowd will eat you alive if you don't blow yourself up first.

"Pretty good … as long as you don't race Otto. I wouldn't push my luck trying to get five new cars there. We'll be lucky to get three before they run us off."

"What time do they start?" Dom asked, taking a gander at his watch.

"Ten o'clock tonight at the stadium," he replied.

"That gives us about twelve hours 'til the races and two hours until the deadline for the trackers, guys. Get some rest, work on your cars, whatever. Occupy yourselves until-" Dom started before a roaring was heard outside of the clubhouse, getting everyone's attention.

Letty hopped off the bar and ran to the security TV, taking note of the hoard of bikes parking out front.

"Dom, it's those bikers," she said nervously. Dom and the others hurried to the windows and watched as a large trailer entered the lot carrying two vans and a BMW on the back.

"Girls, take the kids and go to the back. Boys, follow me," Dom ordered and everyone moved accordingly.

Dom and the men followed him outside into the bright sun as they became surrounded by men in leather on bikes. At least ten riders enclosed them in a circle around the trailer and Dominic prepared for the worse as they started to kill the engines. Dom clenched his hand in a tight fist as one of the men approached him. He had a few inches of height on Dom and a slight muscle build, but nothing was as intimidating than the worn, leather vest he donned over his black clothing.

The man stopped a few feet away and traveled his eyes over the crew of men in front of him. He ran his hand over his scruffy, long beard before finally landing his eyes on Dominic.

"Can we help you?" Dom asked, taking notice of the 'Präsident' patch on the vest. He didn't need a translator to tell him what that meant.

"The Brothers and I wanted to come down and meet our new tenants. I'm Bobby Lancaster, president of the B.O.D," the man broke into a smile and offered his hand out to Dom.

Dom relaxed and took his hand into a firm shake, "Dominic Barcelona."

Bobby gave a skeptical smile, "Barcelona, huh?"

The tone of his voice told Dom he already knew the truth, so Dom threw it back at him. "Motorcycle enthusiasts? I guess you're gun collectors, too?"

Bobby grinned even wider and turned to his boys, who joined in on the laugh, "Nah, they ain't for collecting," one piped up.

"We won't tell if you won't," Bobby said with wild eyes.

"What can we do for you guys?" Dom wanted them out of his presence as soon as possible.

"We heard you folks know your way around a car. Our shop is down for renovation and we have to take a trip out of town tonight. In exchange for you guys boarding up here, we thought maybe you could do some work for us."

Dom looked over at the vans, which were in visibly bad shape. Rust lined the panels, tires were blown out, and the engines from one was even sitting on the front of the trailer bed. The BMW was in even worse condition, with the entire front end being caved in. Dom quietly wondered if the driver survived such damage.

"Let me talk to my crew," Dom turned to the boys. "What do you think?"

"Probably better to do it, ya know, to keep the peace. Besides, it'll give us something to do on the down time," Brian answered.

"What down time?" Sean scoffed and lowered his voice, "We have too much going on to run a garage too. The competition, getting Luke out, not to mention Hobbs on your ass. It's not smart."

Dom agreed with both men. Working on a car would be a great stress reliever for the whole team, but it was more work to add to their ever-growing list of jobs to do. He turned to Leon, who was staring at the vans in disgust.

"What do you think, Le?"

"We're only here a week. We've managed more at once."

"You wanna take the reigns on this one?" Dom asked with a smirk.

Leon smiled and gave a small nod, "Yeah. It'll keep my hands busy."

Dom nodded and turned back to the president of the biker club, "Deal. But we have limited tools."

"No worries, fella. We brought some down from our shop. Anything that's not there, parts or other various tools, just make a list and we'll have the prospects pick it up," Bobby said as they began unloading the wrecks. Leon and the boys joined in and began making taking inventory. "We know you guys are in a bit of trouble, and frankly we don't like these rich fuckers coming into to our city and bringing that trash in. We like to take care of ours, and my nephew Marco has put in a good word for your team, so you guys have our support. Whatever you need, you just let us know. What do you say? Mechanic work for protection?" Bobby asked while he and Dom watched the men work in unison.

Dom thought about the proposal for a moment. His team could use the back-up, but Dom didn't trust these bikers. He was wary of their intentions, but the offer was too good to pass up.

"OK. For the next week, we are your mechanics. Just mechanics right?" Dom needed to make sure the Brothers didn't expect anything else from his crew.

"Yeah. My boys are more specialized with two wheels. We'll direct our business here and we'll take care of any troubles that come your way," Bobby said with a smile.

"We'll have these ready by tonight, but I have a favor to ask," Bobby turned to him to listen. "Some of the guys and I have to go out tonight but we can't take the kids-"

"Say no more," Bobby interrupted and called over a few of his men. "This is our enforcer Krauss, and this is Mikey, one of the prospects. Guys, this is Dominic. He and his boys are gonna help us out, so we're gonna return the favor."

Dom was surprised that a man of Krauss' stature could balance himself on a motorcycle. He had to be least three inches taller than Dom and had the size of a professional bodybuilder. Dom took in the patches on his jacket, and though they were in German, the "wrecking ball" patches across his heart reiterated his position in the gang.

"These guys can watch over the lot while you're gone."

Dom gave Bobby a thanks and shook his hand one last time before returning to the clubhouse.

"What's going on?" Mia bombarded him as soon as he entered the door. "What do they want?"

"They want us to work on a few cars in exchange for letting us stay here for free," Dom replied as he took a seat next to Letty at the bar.

"And you agreed?" Letty joined in, looking at him bewildered.

"In order to keep the peace, yes. They want to offer us protection for our work," he responded.

"And what makes you think we don't need protection from them? Dom we don't know those guys from a hole in the wall," Mia exclaimed as she watched them from the window.

"Do you have any better suggestions, Mi? Because I would love to hear them," Dom bit back. When she didn't respond, he continued, "They need our help and we need protection. It won't hurt to have those guys watching our backs while we work on this game."

"Is that wise, though?" Letty stood timidly, "You said it yourself; this game is top secret. What if they find out about it and want in? There are more of them than there is us," she began to pace in front of him. Dom watched as the usually-cool Latina unraveled in front of his eyes. He reached out and took her hand, stopping her in her tracks. Letty tried to ignore the electricity that came from such an innocent motion, but she couldn't stop her body from heating up.

Looking into her eyes while rubbing small circles around her knuckles, Dom tried to relax her, "It's okay. If things start going south, we'll bail. Alright?" he asked softly. Staring back at him with the same adoration that poured from his brown eyes, Letty felt her resolve wearing thin. He was tearing down every emotional wall she had built. "Everything is going to be OK."

Letty gave Dom a nod, unaware of the death-grip she had on his hand. Dom noticed, though, but didn't release his hold either.

Mia also took note of what was transpiring between the two. The love these two had for each other was undeniable, but she vowed to let them figure it out on their own. She smiled and slipped out of the building unnoticed, stepping out into the bustling garage to seek out Brian. She found him standing with Leon as they directed the boys where to set up. She approached them from behind and wrapped her arms around her husband's waist, leaning in close to smell his scent.

"Hey you," he said, placing his hands over hers with a grin.

"Hi. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever, with all this going on," Mia murmured in his ear.

Brian turned to face her and wrapped her up in his arms as well. "You seen a lot of me last night," he teased while kissing her neck.

Mia scoffed and pinched his side, "Seriously, Brian. Brooklyn misses her Daddy and I miss my husband. When all this is over, you owe us a nice vacation."

Brian smiled at his beautiful wife, "Wherever you want. How about I take you out tomorrow night? We'll have dinner in the city."

"Okay," she smiled and leaned in crash her lips onto his. Brian held her face close as he deepened the kiss, sucking her lip softly before taking it between his teeth. She smiled as he pulled away gently.

The side door to the garage swung open with a loud bang, and the sight of Dom and Letty took Brian's attention. He watched as Dom sat looking up at Letty as she stood in front of him, their fingers entwined. Dom stood, never dropping her hand from his as he brushed a tendril of hair behind her ear.

"How's is going with those two?" Brian asked Mia.

She looked over at her brother and Letty, leaning her head on Brian's chest. "They're figuring it out."

"You think they ever will?"

Mia could tell Letty was still holding back, but she knew it wouldn't be for long. "They will. They always do."


	33. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32-Riding Along**

_**Dom's POV**_

I was in surprisingly good spirits that night before the big race as I sat in the Challenger programming the address for the trackers into my GPS while I waited for the others to finish getting ready. We had a little over an hour before the races in Munich began, but I still needed to pick up the trackers to ensure we made the midnight deadline. We finished the vans only an hour earlier, but they were back in working order. The BMW, though, wasn't anywhere close to finished but Bobby was happy enough with the work to let her stay with us another day. It turned out that it belonged to his wife Suzy and a little too much to drink landed her into parked car and a broken leg.

I walked back into the house to light a fire under their asses. I noticed Mia standing behind the bar, Mickey and Krauss seated in front of her as they chowed down. When I first told Mia that Mickey and Krauss would be hanging around while we were gone, she chewed my ass up and down the clubhouse. After meeting the guys, though, they turned out to be not half bad. Krauss was sucker for Mia's sweet demeanor, caving to her every want and need as all the other guys did. I wasn't surprised; Mia could warm over a grizzly bear with her charm. Mickey was quiet, but had no problem opening up with Brooklyn, Julian and Jessie as they chased him through the house with water-guns for two hours. Although Carlos, Rob, and Leon were staying behind tonight, I was still skeptical of leaving these men who were virtual strangers with my son, niece, and baby sister.

That's why I made sure to leave my gun with Leon just in case things went south.

I walked over to see what they were enjoying, inhaling the aromas of Mia's famous pumpkin pie. Vince was an avid lover of her home-made dessert. I only wished he could be here to enjoy it now.

"I made the boys some of my pumpkin pie as a thanks," Mia smiled as we watched the boys scrape their plates.

"This is the best thing I've ever tasted," Krauss said with a heavily-accented voice.

"Mia's the best cook," I bragged, "You boys enjoy that."

I leaned over the counter to kiss her cheek before turning for the hall. I knocked on each door, ordering them to hurry their asses or they were getting left behind. In an instant, Twink, Sean, James, and Brian came herding from the hall and spilled out into the bar area. For once, the atmosphere around the home was energetic and uplifting, but I knew that had a lot to do with the races. It had been a while since we raced as a team, and though it was a new crew, I had faith that my guys could pull off bringing in some new wheels tonight. I would've loved to have Leon out there, to give the guy a release, but he still didn't trust himself in that environment and I wasn't going to push him back in it.

When Letty didn't appear, I walked to her door and gave it a small knock. The door opened with a creek, with Julian's face peeping from the other side of the door. I crouched down to his level with a smile.

"Hi Papa," he waved childishly and ran into my arms, wrapping his arms around my neck. I looked up to see Letty tossing her black leather jacket on over a black tank top. The red leather pants she wore almost looked painted on as she bent over to tie her boots.

"Hey little guy. You have fun today with Mickey and cousin Brookie?" I asked to stop myself from drooling at Letty.

"Yesh!" he nodded eagerly. "Papa go?"

His lip quivered and my heart broke, "Daddy has to go do a few things, but I promise tomorrow we'll spend some time together. Maybe even Mommy can come with us?" I asked while watching her hopefully. She smiled and walked out the door, closing it behind her. I scooped Julian up and blocked her from leaving the hallway before giving me an answer. "What do you say?"

"I say we're gonna be late if you don't move," she replied huskily with a smile.

Since our exchange earlier, the previous hostility between Letty and I was long gone and things seemed almost... _normal_. We spent the day working side-by-side on the BMW, the first time since our days in Los Angeles being in a garage together again. We didn't talk much, but with Letty and I, words were never needed. Instead, we worked together with minimal verbal contact, but the small physical contact spoke volumes. The accidental touches while reaching for the same tool, the soft brushes against my skin as she reached around me for parts, even wrapping her arms around my waist to ward off the scheming Brothers. I played along, even taking it a step further by grabbing her ass as one of the men walked by. Surprisingly, Letty only responded by tossing me a flirty smirk over her shoulder.

I expected and prepared for a hard knee to the groin.

Our chemistry earlier gave me a moment to breathe, to forget about the insanity that was occurring and enjoy the time we spent together. I forgot how much I loved working side-by-side with Lett in the shop. She always held her own and was more help than any of the guys. I only hoped that chemistry would continue tonight.

"Come on, Lett. We can do whatever you want. I just wanna make up for the time lost with my kid," I said sincerely.

She seemed to give it some thought before sighing, "Fine. Well go to the house and pick up our things, then we'll go out."

"Just the three of us?" I clarified.

She gave a small smile, "Yes, Dom. But then we come back here and start figuring out how we're gonna free Luke. Got it?"

"Absolutely," I nodded and stepped aside to let her pass. I followed behind her to join the rest of the family at the bar. I gave Julian a tight hug and kissed his forehead before handing him off to Letty to do the same. She then handed him off to Mia, who sat him happily atop the bar. I noticed how distant Brooklyn looked as she watched the exchange and I realized that I had also neglected her since making it to Germany.

Walking over, I sat down next to her and picked her up, sitting her down in front of me.

"Listen, I know Uncle Dommie hasn't been a good friend lately, but I haven't forgotten about my favorite princess," she gave me a toothy grin while twirling her doll's hair. "I was thinking maybe we could have a tea party tomorrow? You can bring Mr. Snuggles the bear, and Sammie the turtle, and even puppy Jessie. Is that OK?"

"Can Juwian come too?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course he can," I smiled. The two year-old gave an eager nod, throwing her tiny arms around my neck happily. I held my niece close, silently wondering how I made it so long without my own son.

I adored my niece, Brooklyn. I loved watching her grow from the tiny infant that could nearly fit in my hands, to the smart, feminine child she was now. I was her favorite playmate, but since leaving Tokyo, I hadn't been able to spend much alone time with her and I was determined to change that. Watching Brian and Mia raise her, I often times found myself jealous of what they had. A real family – a strong marriage, a beautiful daughter to look after. Now, I had a child I never knew I wanted, but I knew I would never be able to live without again. I was wrapped around to his tiny fingers. All I had to do now was win over his mother, who wasn't the most forgiving woman. Easier said than done.

"Dom, we gotta get going," Brian said as he scooped Brooklyn from the top. I watched on as he tossed her into the air a few times, soliciting a fit of giggles from the little girl. Brian kissed her a few times, pulling her in for a tight embrace before walking behind the counter to hand her off to Mia. He and my sister shared a few kisses before saying their goodbyes.

Mia turned to me with a smile, "Aren't you glad we came looking for Leon?"

I smiled, already knowing where this was headed. "Very. Thank you for kicking me in the ass."

"That's what sisters are for," she shrugged, grinning. "You guys be careful. I'm not going to tell you to stay out of trouble 'cause it would just be a waste of breath. But please, Dom … make sure you keep him safe. He's not as invincible as he likes to think."

"I will, Mi," I leaned across the counter to kiss her cheek before turning to the boys. "Let's roll."

We all dispersed to our cars, with Twink and Sean riding in the Jetta (with strict rules from Letty not to "fuck anything up"), James and Jerry in his Lancer, Brian in his Nissan, and myself in the Challenger. I slid in and snapped on my harness, startled as the passenger door swung open and Letty sat inside.

I stared in shock, unable to form coherent words as she stared straight ahead. When I didn't budge, she finally turned to me with a quirked brow, "Should I drive or what? We got somewhere to be."

"Ay, ay, Captain," I teased and fired up the engine, making my way down the drive with a smile on my face.

* * *

_**Letty's POV**_

As we left the house, my eyes flickered between my 240Sx and Dom's Challenger. I badly wanted to take my girl out and see just what new tricks she could do, but a strong force pulled me towards Dom's car instead.

Though I wouldn't admit it, I missed being around Dom and our time spent together in the garage only proved that. The conviction in his eyes when he said that things would be OK rekindled my confidence in him again. The trust wasn't there – and probably wouldn't be for a _long_ time – but he had me convinced that things would pan out.

Working in the garage had been a great relief; it was actually fun working next to my friends again. It was especially interesting working with Dom together on the BMW. The sexual tension had become the elephant in the room, and though I wasn't sure if I was ready to be intimate with Dom again, I couldn't deny how sexy he looked in that dirty, grimy tank top. We flirted like high-schoolers through visual contact, and we both couldn't keep our hands off the other. I was shocked, maybe even _slightly_ thrilled when I felt his large paws grab at my ass. I thought I'd be angry, but all I could do was smile.

Besides, It kept those moronic bikers whom had been harassing me off my back. None of them came in my direction once they thought that Dom and I were an item. I thought after that, I'd go back to hating his guts, but it was the complete opposite. I felt like twelve year-old Letty again, pawing after him like a lost cat. I found myself staring at him, taking the closest seat next to him, doing anything to get his attention. Our moment the night before had reconnected us on a sensual level, but I wasn't so sure how it would work out. My loyalties were still with Luke, he wasn't so easy to forget.

Problem was – Dom wasn't either.

I sighed and walked over to the Challenger, pulling open the door and sliding into the seat. I stared straight ahead as I prepared for the ride.

In L.A, I usually took my own car to the races out of respect for his "rep". He was the king there, and I allowed him to sit on his throne alone. But here in Germany, he had to prove himself to everyone, including me. The first step was letting me ride along.

When he didn't speak, I turned to him with a look, "Should I drive or what? We got somewhere to be."

He snapped out of his trance and started the car with a smile. We got on the road and made our way back to Munich. Once there, Dom directed the guys to go to a nearby gas station while we detoured to the address. It was a bright establishment located on a busy street with smiling couples going in and out the entrance.

"Wanna do this together?" Dom asked and I nodded. I didn't know this place and I wasn't about to stay in the car alone.

We exited the car and made our way to the door, where a man in a suit opened the door with a smile. I entered first and noticed the elegant restaurant where dozens of couples were dining around candlelit tables. When I noticed eyes began to travel to us, I felt Dom's hand clutch around mine.

"Play along," he stood behind me and whispered in my ear. His lips merely inches away from my ear sent shock waves down my body and I didn't hesitate to web my fingers with his. We made our way to the welcome booth.

"American?" the concierge asked politely and we nodded. "Are you here for business or pleasure?"

"Business, but my pleasure always travels with me," Dom replied huskily. I felt his thumb rubbing calming circles against my hand. This reassurance slowed my breathing and helped me put on a happy front. "I'm here to see Johann."

The server got the message and waved us to follow him. We traveled to the back of the restaurant, through the chef's kitchen to a small locker room where a sizable guard stood watch.

"Who sent you?" he asked gruffly.

"Slythe. Here for the package," Dom said, showing him the two-way. The guard's eyes looked at me skeptically before handing Dom a key.

"Locker 4-D," he grovelled.

I reminded myself of my pocket knife that was buckled on my pants. I wasn't afraid to use it if I needed to against the brute. I stood my ground as Dominic went into the room, the door shutting behind him. I was able to watch him through the window open the locker and retrieve a back-pack. He shouldered the bag after taking a quick peek inside and left the room. We hurried out of the restaurant and to the car before the tension boiled over. Dom quickly fired up the car and hauled ass away from the restaurant.

"Can I ask why you didn't take the Nissan out?" Dominic asked after a short bout of silence.

"I didn't think you'd mind-"

"Oh, I don't," he replied quickly, "It's just you normally take your own car to the races. Just wondering why you didn't."

I shrugged, "Maybe I wanted to feel the speed of your new baby. I was pretty jealous when I saw it in the lot the other day."

"Want a sneak peek?"

I smirked at his gleaming eyes and excitedly buckled myself into the harness.

"You might wanna hold on to the something," he mumbled.

"Just drive, old man," I ignored his warning and placed my hands in my lap. In a matter of seconds, Dom was shifting gears and gunning the pedal. The Challenger kicked into high speed, weaving between slow-moving cars as Dom maneuvered without a hitch. The Dodge was fast, a lot sleeker than any car I had been in, and I had to admit that it turned me on watching Dom handle the powerful car with little effort.

I watched Dom, intrigued by how comfortable he looked as we reached speeds of over 90 miles per hour. He gave no warning as he yanked the E-brake, drifting the muscle car around a tight curve, causing oncoming traffic to lay on their horns as we barely missed them.

My pulse raced as the adrenaline soared through my veins. I missed this rush; Dom had his own unique style of driving and something about the way he commanded the road lit my soul on fire. With him, I could sit back with my eyes closed and enjoy the rush. I never worried about safety – he was always a smart driver. I rolled the window down to intensify the rush. The wind kicked my ponytail into a frenzy, the sounds of the night whizzing by my head and the colors blurring as he looked over at me with a cocky grin. I couldn't stop myself from placing my hand over his on the shifter.

Habits were hard to break.

We both looked down at the contact, then back at each other with sultry smiles. Dom's horn brought me back to real life and I noticed he was signaling the boys to follow. Twink and Sean jumped out ahead and led us to the stadium.

I could already feel my fingers wrapped around a new ride.

* * *

"Luke," Hobbs looked up from his desk work to see Monica heading his station, "I just spoke with a member of the U.S Embassy in Germany. Word on the street is a bloodsport competition is in the works, and Alvaro Koenig might be involved."

"Does it involved Toretto? And who is Alvaro Koenig?"

"I'm not sure about Toretto, but I think Koenig is the link. Audrina said something about Leonardo Hernandez and his crew heading to Munich to hide out, ironically, from Koenig. Audrina said Leon owes Koenig over 500 grand. Koenig is a member of one of the most dangerous crime families in Europe. He's wanted in several countries for questioning in the mass distribution of methamphetamines and the deaths that came along with it. Europe is his territory. This scumbag has so much money that every time he's caught, he skates on a technicality or a witness ends up dead. We can't touch this guy."

"Am I missing the Toretto involvement?" Hobbs asked while looking back down at his work.

"I'm getting to it. Hernandez is a known close associate of Toretto. They will likely be meeting up and if I'm thinking correctly, Toretto and his boys are the lab rats."

Hobbs finally turned his eyes back to Monica, "You think Koenig is gonna try to use Dominic and his guys in this bloodsport game?"

"If he was smart, which I already know he is, he will. Dom and his men have been able to pull off some amazing things in the past and I'm sure they are a top candidate for some bidders. Dom might accept if it means it gets his friend off the hook."

"Toretto and his gang made off with 100 million dollars in Rio de Janiero. He could pay that debt off and they'll all just be another name in the wind again. We don't want to jump to conclusions."

"This is the only lead we have right now," Monica's voice was agitated and her eyes fiery. "We don't have time to sit on our asses and twiddle our thumbs like you've been doing. In case you didn't know, I'm the ranking officer here. Get your men ready. We leave tomorrow for Germany."

Monica didn't give Hobbs time to respond before she was stomping her way out the door.

"I guess that means no on dinner tomorrow?" he called out playfully.


	34. Chapter 33

**I do apologize for the ridiculously long break I took. Work really leaves me no time to sleep, let alone write, so for that, I'm sorry! I'm looking to have the story finished before the 6th movie releases worldwide, so please review if you're still with me. **

_**Chapter 33-The Stadium**_

Dom felt at home as he and the boys rolled into the stadium, turning heads and getting the attention of many of people milling around. He felt nostalgic being surrounded by the exotic rides and sexy, half-naked women that were packed into the gladiator-like venue. They parked near the exit in case things went south and moved to sit on the hoods of the cars.

"So where is the Günther family?" Dom asked as Twinkie took a seat next to him. The young men pointed across the lot to a group of men flirting with scantily-clad women. They were bordered by a slew of exquisite rides; including a car Dom had been searching the world for – a 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona.

The Daytona was a sleek, polished maroon color with the classic nose-cone grille and the high spoiler wing on the back. He wasn't too fond of the modified headlights, but that didn't stop him from practically drooling over the superb car. It was a beauty, with the exception of the sleazy old man in the driver's seat being tongued-down by a blonde that was young enough to be his granddaughter.

"That's them. The guy in the black jacket, that's Otto Günther, king shit around here. He drives the bad-ass Aston Martin Vanquish. He rolls with the twins, Marvin and Mark, his nephew Patrick, and the new guy, Kennedy. A few stragglers hang with the crew, but nothing serious."

Dom moved to the trunk of his car and removed a few wrapped bundles of cash from a black bag before returning to the others. He handed the wad of money to Twinkie.

"Get us in a few races to start. Who drives the Daytona over there?" Dom asked while staring at the car from afar.

"Oh, that's Frank Gunther. He watches over the races, but he doesn't run. They say nobody has challenged him to a race in six years."

Brian knew that look in Dom's eyes. It was usually the look Roman got before taking something that wasn't his. Letty also recognized that longing look in Dom's brown eyes and immediately moved to stop him, placing her hands on his chest to try to get his attention.

"No, Dom. Any car in here but that one, please," she tried to beg, but his focus was on the car.

"My dad always wanted a Daytona. We poured so much money into the garage and the store that any extra money we had went into the Charger. I'm gonna get him that Daytona," Dom said with a smile, finally turning his eyes to Letty.

When it came to Dino, Letty knew that even still Dom would do anything for him. She sighed and turned to Twinkie, "Get him the race, man."

* * *

The loud tapping of heels against the floor alerted Hobbs that Monica was near. He looked up from his work to see her sauntering his way rather quickly.

"I have too much work, Fuentes. Unless it has to do with Toretto, give whatever it is to Audrina," he wrote her off quickly.

"Just listen to me. Audrina was telling me that Hernandez and his friends were heading to Munich, Germany to hide out from Alvaro Koenig, whom he owes 500 thousand dollars. If he doesn't pay, he's threatening to kill Leonardo and his brother, Lucas Hernandez. But that's not all," she tossed a file folder on his desk.

"What is this?" he asked while scanning carelessly over the paperwork.

"It might be a link," she tossed a file folder on his desk. "All the information on a new bloodsport competition in the works. I just got off the phone with our Custom's agency in Germany and they have eyes in on a contest beginning in a week. Alvaro Koenig is said to be one of the top bidders in this game, along with at least four other major crime bosses. The FBI has been trying to get their hands on the Koenigs for decades, but they have so much money, they're practically untouchable. These scumbags have been pushing crystal methamphetamines across Europe for years, and running over anything in their path with guns blazing. Capturing them and these other assholes would be historic."

"Am I missing the Toretto connection here? Why do I want to waste my time chasing meth cookers when Toretto and his gang of bandits are on the loose?" Hobbs asked seriously, annoyed with the extra work.

"If you let me get to it," she snapped, "Anyways. The competition is a race. Who better to get than the infamous Team Toretto to win a race for you?"

"So you think this Alvaro Koenig will try to use the Team as his drivers? They could all end up dead," Hobbs said, hearing the sensitivity in his own voice. When did he start caring about his perps?

"If Koenig is a smart as I think he is. Toretto and his men are doing that competition. I know Brian O'Connor. He believes in these people, they are the only family he has," the sadness in her tone when she spoke about the ex-cop didn't go unnoticed by Luke. He knew very little about their past relationship, but he knew that O'Connor had saved her life. "That's what keeps them moving, running. Family."

Hobbs thought about her words, and realized they were true. Everything that happened in Rio, nearly ripping the city to shreds, risking imprisonment for life… it was to keep their family together.

"Well I'll be damned if he gets my man first. We need to get to Toretto before he does."

"Hold on a second. I'd like to get my hands on Toretto too, but capturing men like Alvaro Koenig, the Knotch brothers, Xi Chang of the Yakuza. I'm sorry, but Toretto is small fish compared to these men. He's low on my priority list, Luke."

Monica started for the door but Hobbs grabbed her elbow, stopping her.

"Excuse me? This is my case!" he bit at her. "I won't let some stuck-up brat pull rank on me."

Monica snatched her arm away and put her finger in his face, "No! As a senior Custom's Agent, I am the ranking officer on this case! What I say goes. Now get your men together. We ship out in 36 hours."

Hobbs stewed angrily as he watched Monica storm out of the office. He turned to his bulletin board, which mapped out Dominic Toretto's trail since leaving Los Angeles. The countless hours of work tracking down this seemingly untouchable man were about to be down the drain, and now he answered to a woman. His anger got the best of him and Luke launched his massive fist through the board and the concrete wall behind it.

* * *

"How long do you think our luck is going to last?" Brian asked Dom with a wide smile as James came flying in over the finish line, giving the Team their third consecutive win against Otto Günther's crew. Brian had taken on the first race against Marvin Schwentz in his baby blue Toyota 86 Coupe. O'Connor was excited to take place in his first race in over a year, and dominated the rookie racer in less than twelve seconds. The opposition wasn't happy to give up the car, but still agreed to a second race, driven between Sean and Mark Schwentz. With Schwentz in a gray Mustang Fastback coupe and Sean in the Jetta, Team Toretto was the definite underdogs. Luckily, Sean pulled out a last-minute finish and was going home with a car under his belt. James surprised everyone with his Lancer when he pulled out a win against Otto's cocky nephew, Patrick Günther in his BMW SL5. He was late off the line, but a shot of NOS helped glide him over the finish line a bumper's length ahead.

Jerry was kept busy installing the trackers on the new cars as they came rolling in. It wasn't a difficult task, simply attaching the small device under the hood, but it kept him occupied.

"I think it just ran out, O'Connor," Dom grinned as Otto Günther and his boys made their way towards them, and they didn't look happy. "What's the matter, boys?"

"Well, well. You folks sure know how to shake things up. I admire that. It's been a while since we had some real competition around here. Otto Gunther," he introduced while holding his hand out.

"Dom Barcelona," Dom replied cautiously.

"Welcome to the Stadium. I'm sorry to cut your night short, but I think it's time for you to go. That money covered three races, and you got 'em."

Dom pulled several more stacks from his car and handed them to Otto, "Money isn't an issue."

Otto looked interested in the cash, but shook his head, "I don't think you understand. This is our yard. We say who races or not. And I think we've had enough of you tonight."

"We heard you guys are the best around here, and we're the best from the Americas, so we figured we'd come play," Dom replied.

"Well we are done playing. Twinkie is a friend of ours, he said you guys wanted a few cars and now you have them. Get lost," Otto ordered with fiery blue eyes before storming off.

"I already told you, we came to race. Now, line up a car or go home."

The tension spiked with the proposal and the crowd silenced. Dom stood tall for his crew, ready to throw fists if it came to it. Otto glared at Dom with daggers, "You wanna race?" Dom gave a firm nod. "Kennedy, you're up."

"No problem," a tall, lanky man with a baseball cap on backwards said with a grin, stepping to the front of the group. He looked at Dom with disgust, but Kennedy wasn't shy about checking out Letty's body. He gave the Latina's curves a long, appreciative look from the feet up, even leaning to get a better view of her derrière before turning back to his friends. "Es ist ein nettes Weibchen, das er ist hat dort. Ich möchte einen Geschmack dieses mexikanischen Kätzchens."

Dom didn't understand his jab, but the Günther crew surely did as they all erupted into a fit of laughter.

"I love jokes," Dom trailed off as he felt his anger simmering in the pit of his belly.

"He called me a bitch. You only get to do that once," Letty warned him, taking a step forward but Dom stopped her.

"Ay, she's a feisty one," Kennedy teased, "I was telling the guys how I'd love to get a taste of that Mexican pu…", before Kennedy could finish his statement, he was eating a hard head-butt from Dominic that dropped him on his ass.

"ENOUGH!" Otto roared, stopping the teams before an all-out brawl took place. Otto's men helped Kennedy from the ground and tended to his broken nose. "Line up. If you lose, you go back to the shithole you crawled out of."

"I'm taking this race," Letty spoke up before Dom had time to think. He turned to her –she was fiddling with her thumb-ring and her eyes were glued on Kennedy and his bright orange Ferrari 360 Modena. Letty never took well to men treating her like meat; she wasn't the type of girls who liked a lot of male attention.

"Are you sure? Brian can run again, I'll run if it you're not-" Dom said, his eyes moving to Brian, his first choice for the race.

The blonde gave Dom a smirk and a slight shrug, "She can take him."

Letty gave Brian a smile and turned to Dom, "I'm ready, Dominic. That asshole isn't going to get away with running his mouth," Letty snarled, tightening her ponytail and turning to Sean, "The keys."

"No way. If you're doing this, you're taking the Dodge," Dom pulled the keys from his pocket and put them in her hand. "The Challenger will smoke that Ferrari."

Letty gave Dom a grateful smile before jumping in the Challenger, revving the engine a few times before back out wildly. Dom felt a kick in his pants watching the sexy woman at the controls of such a sexy car. It was something about Letty behind the wheel of that strong, powerful car that turned Dominic on. He always loved watching her sit behind the Charger when they were young children… it was why he left her his Roadrunner in the Dominican Republic.

"You're letting the _miststück _drive your car? You Americans are comical!" Kennedy chuckled as he realized that he was facing a woman in his race.

Dom jogged to the starting line and peeked in her window as the taunts from the opposing side began.

"Ignore them," Dom muttered as he watched Letty prep herself. She buckled herself safely in the harness and prepared his NOS bottles. Letty cranked up the stereo and adjusted her seat and mirrors while Dom coached her as if it were her first race, "Now she's got a lot of power, so don't overdo it. She brakes hard and can be a little hard to control if you don't treat her right."

"Aren't we all?" she teased, trying to get a reaction at the obviously nervous Dominic, but he only frowned. She gave him a small, but lust-filled kiss to help distract him. "I got this, Papa. Sit back with the other girlies and look pretty."

Dom could only smile at her confidence. He backed away and joined the other men at in the crowd.

"Hey Maria," Otto taunted to get Letty's attention. "You do know which one is the gas, right?"

Letty cocked her head and feigned ignorance, "I'm not sure. Is it the one on the left or right?"

This sent Otto's men into frenzy as they howled with laughter at what they thought were an untrained, amateur racer. These men didn't know Letty.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. Kennedy will take good care of you," Otto grinned.

"I'm not sure how to do this, but if I get lucky, can I have your car too? It's really pretty." Letty's bimbo voice entertained Dom, and it actually made Brian chuckle.

"Oh sweetie, I don't think you could handle that beast over there," Otto boasted as he pointed to the flawless grey Aston Martin Vanquish.

Letty eyed the car with adoration and lust – she wanted that beast. She looked back up at Otto, who had made his way to stand next to the Challenger. "How about this: If I lose, you can have his car and a night with me," Otto gave a pleased nod, "But if I win, I get your pretty car, that Ferrari, and my boyfriend gets a chance at that."

Letty pointed over to the Daytona. All eyes went to the magical car and Dom's frown was replaced by a small smile. The owner of the Dodge Daytona stepped out and swaggered over with two chasers in tow.

"Did I hear you, right? You want my car?" Frank sneered at Letty.

"No, you didn't hear me correct. I want _their_ cars. My boyfriend wants yours," Letty replied.

"If you're so insistent on losing your car, be my guess. If she wins – which I don't see happening – she can have Kennedy's Ferrari, the Vanquish, and you get a match. If she doesn't, I take your car and maybe little Maria can show my boys a good time," Frank said while snickering.

Dom gave a firm nod and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting patiently and nervously on the start. Letty looked over at her competition, who was staring back at her with a shit-eating grin. He blew kisses in her direction, which made her stomach turn as she focused on the skank officiating the race. The woman was in a leather get-up that barely kept her chest contained and didn't leave much to the imagination down below.

"Tramp," Letty muttered to herself as the woman put her hands up.

"To the tunnel entrance and back, racers."

Letty was thankful she could see the tunnel in the distance. They still weren't familiar with the streets of Munich and she couldn't afford to get lost in a crucial match. The tunnel was at least a mile away, maybe further, nothing she couldn't handle. It was the heavy traffic that rushed past the stadium that worried her. It would be hard making it across the perpendicular traffic, but the spunky woman was ready for the rush.

Letty revved the engine a few times and when the skank dropped her hands, the two cars flew off the line and out of the stadium. The Ferrari zoomed through the dangerous traffic, stopping it long enough for Letty to fly through unharmed. The Ferrari got a good jump on Letty and she was quickly losing this race as Kennedy's car disappeared up ahead. The Challenger was a lot more powerful than she imagined, but she kept a tight grip on the wheel as she weaved between the frightening traffic to play chase. Letty felt the adrenaline racing through her body as the car picked up speed, gaining ground on Kennedy's car that was far ahead. The tunnel that expanded across four lanes of traffic had cars coming and going from it, and made it more difficult for Letty to come up with a game plan to catch the speedy Ferrari. They were closing in on the half-way point, and Letty knew she would have to do something fast.

She switched gears and gunned the pedal, sending the car up to nearly 100 miles an hour as she caught sight of the orange sports car again. Letty pushed the car as the colors and sights out the window became a blur, and her rush became more intense. She felt the weight of the world on her shoulders, but that didn't deter Letty from giving everything she had. Letty swerved into oncoming traffic, careful to avoid cars that headed straight for her as she finally caught up with Kennedy. She honked to get his attention, hoping to distract him long enough to take the lead. Letty swallowed her pride and blew a few sultry kisses in his direction, which took his eyes off the road. Letty saw the tractor-trailer that was stopped up ahead, but Kennedy hadn't. She gave a nod to the truck, and though he looked in time to miss it, Kennedy's car careened out of control and slammed into the inside of the tunnel wall.

Letty smiled at the small victory but bright headlights ahead of her soon brought her attention back to the road. She dodged cars and trucks to rip the E-brake, spinning the Challenger around 180 degrees back in the direction of the stadium. The beeping sound of the NOS told Letty it was time, and she wasted none pressing the small red button. The shot of nitrous sent the Challenger into hyper speed, gluing her back to the seat as it propelled the vehicle forward towards the goal.

"That's one badass chick," Twinkie said from his spot next to Dom as they watched the Challenger race in the direction of the stadium.

Dom gave a proud smile as she drifted in for a safe stop inside the stadium. The crowd went wild, cheering and clapping for the woman as she stepped out of the car with a new confidence about herself. She strutted across the lot confidently and came to stand in front of Dom. Letty didn't speak, but instead through her arms around Dom's neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. He held her close and spun her around happily, inhaling her sweet scent as he did so.

Their celebration was cut short when Otto's angry screams were heard over the cheers. They looked over to see Otto holding a blade against Kennedy's neck, "You idiot! You lost my car to a girl! I should cut your balls off!"

"Cut it out!" Frank demanded as Marvin and Mark separated the two. "Give me the keys," he commanded while holding his hand out. Both men dropped their keys in his hand and Frank made his way over. "Looks like you got lucky again," he said while dropping them both in Dom's hand. "But why am I getting the feeling that we're being hustled? Do you know what the hell I can do to you?" Frank growled, staring Dominic down. Dom gave the man an once-over. He had a few inches on Dom and a slight muscle build, but the shiny metal gun tucked in his waistband was the thing that had Dom's attention.

"We don't hustle people, we drive. If your men can't handle that, maybe they should find another hobby," Brian spoke up.

"No!" Frank pulled his gun from his pants and held it to Dom's head. Women cried out in fear and the Team watched frighteningly as Dom stood frozen. "Maybe you guys should find another group of people to fuck with, because we're the wrong ones."

Dom didn't respond, but grinned as the roaring sound of motorcycles quickly filled the air and headlights beamed down on the crowd. Dozens of The Brothers of Destruction rode in like the calvary and surrounded them. Frank's eyes grew wide and nervous as Bobby, the leader, joined the party.

"Looks like _you_ picked the wrong crew to fuck with," Dom said, smacking the gun away. "Line up or forfeit."

"What are you guys doing here?" Brian asked Bobby.

"Twinkie sent Marco a message saying things were getting ugly. I know these assholes, they like to play dirty."

"Well so do us," Dom said, holding out his hand to Bobby, "Thanks."

* * *

_**Dom's POV**_

"OK boys, hook a right out the stadium and go to the second traffic light a mile and a half down the road. First one back wins."

Letty's scent attacked my nostrils as I took control of the wheel of the Challenger. As I strapped into my harness, I could smell the fragrance left on the headrest from her shampoo and instantly felt at ease. The fragrance surprisingly calmed my nerves – which was a shock in itself. As a teen, I had to quickly learn that nerves got you nowhere but to the back of the herd. I always told my friends to be confident at the wheel - if you weren't, don't bother pulling off the line.

The roar of the Daytona caught my ear and I turned to look at her. She was truly a beautiful car, I thought, as she rumbled, anxious to get off the line. I didn't want to keep her waiting any longer.

"Hey Toretto," I looked over, realizing that Frank knew my real identity. "What? You think we didn't notice you and your friends? You've been all over the news for years, pal. Just remember – when I wipe your ass all over the street, that car of yours and that bitch, is mine. And there ain't a damn thing you or any of those bikers can do about it."

"Well, since you know my rep, you know what I do to people who fuck with me or my family. If you ever put a gun to my head again, you better pray you got the balls to pull the trigger."

Frank hadn't noticed the hostess' arms dropping as I had, and I took advantage of his slip-up. He didn't get a chance to respond as I flew off the line well ahead of him. I hauled ass to the exit and yanked the E-brake, drifting smoothly into traffic, careful not to hit any on the way. I floored it down the street, but Frank was soon at my side, pushing his muscle car just as hard.

I had to admit, the old man had skills… and that Daytona was fast. Frank and I were neck and neck as we rocketed down the street, weaving in and out of slow-moving cars. Somehow, Frank's Daytona pulled ahead to cross through the green-light first, but I stayed calm. I shifted gears and gunned the pedal, sending my beast barreling down the street toward the Daytona. I managed to even our cars on the road, and took it a step further by cutting him off in his lane.

The second traffic light was soon approaching, but it was also about to change. I had to make it through the light, turn around, and go back all without interfering with passing travelers. I readied myself but was suddenly jarred forward as Frank's car rammed the back of mine several times. I swerved hard to the right to avoid the blows, but he managed to clip the side panel of my car, sending me flying into a tailspin in the intersection. I tried to regain control of the spinning missile, but the force sent me into the side of a family van.

The t-bone brought both mine and the other car to a smoking stop. While Frank was busy making his turn and flipping me the bird, I was watching the van for signs of life. When the smoke cleared, I was forced to look into the eyes of a distraught woman, feeling nothing but guilt and fear. This was the worst-case-scenario for the team – accidents meant police, police meant running and running meant no trip to Berlin. My eyes flicked to the back of the van, where I could faintly see two children in the backseat. My guilt doubled as they stared at me with wondering eyes.

As terrified as I was, I had to get back to the race. I turned the car around and rushed back toward the stadium. I pressed the button to engage my NOS tank, propelling me closer to Frank's. I could see him in the distance closing the gap between him and the end. My speedometer read 115 as I barreled down the street at break-neck speed. I was about fifteen yards from the bumper of the Daytona when I noticed the two bikers blocking the entrance of the stadium. Frank was going too fast to make the turn without hitting them, so he barrelled past, unaware of the two bikes pulling out after. I yanked the emergency brake, gliding through the concrete pillars and over the line first.

The team was the first to come running towards the car. By all of their worried looks I knew they had seen my collision.

"What the hell happened back there?" Brian asked first.

"I'll explain it later, get home," I ordered.

"Dom, what're you doing? We gotta get out of here," Letty looked at me with bewildered eyes as I turned my car around.

"Get home! Now!" I roared and hauled ass back to the second traffic light, where a crowd had formed around the minivan. I watched from afar as the woman comforted her two young boys outside the mangled car. My remorse drew me in, so I grabbed a few wads of cash and shoved them in my pocket before getting out the car. I approached with caution and moved to the front of the crowd. The upset mother finally observed me standing by and stormed angrily in my direction. She slapped me hard across the face as she stared at me with tear-filled eyes. "I'm sorry, Miss," was all I could say before she hit me again. It didn't have as much impact as the first, but it still stung.

The woman let a rant off in German, but I didn't need a translation to know that she was hurt and frightened.

"Does anyone here know English?" I asked to the crowd. I wanted to calm her down but the language barrier made that difficult.

A short man with a beard stepped forward from the crowd with his hand up, "Did you do this?"

"It was an accident. A guy rammed my car from behind. Tell her that."

He translated to the woman, but I couldn't keep my eyes off her children. They looked young, no older than six, and terrified.

I couldn't help but think about Letty and Julian. At any given time, it could've been them, and the wreck could have been much worse. For once, I actually regretted street racing. If I had injured the family – or worse – I would be throwing away any hopes of a life with Letty and Julian.

Police sirens in the far distance brought my attention back to the enraged driver.

"Here," I handed over the cash from my jeans, "Tell her I'm sorry. That should cover getting it fixed."

She looked at the money with wild eyes. It was obvious she had never seen that much money.

"She said she's grateful, but there are no mechanics near her home. Her husband left her the car after he died."

I felt worse as I looked into the single mother's eyes. She had been forced to raise her boys alone, and now their only family car had been incapacitated by me, a street racer. I was drawn back to the boys, who were staring at me with sad eyes. I pulled out a pen and scribbled my address down on another bill and handed it to her.

"I own a garage. Bring it by the shop tomorrow and my guys will fix it up, free of charge."

The stranger translated and after a moment of hesitation and curious stares, the older woman smiled, rubbing her thumb over the spot where she previously slapped me. I gave her a smile small back and turned on my heels, hurrying to the car as the sirens became deafening.

I needed to get back to Freising.

* * *

_**Letty's POV**_

The clock read 11:52 as I led the way to the autobahn with the boys in tow. We high-tailed it back to Freising before we had any more trouble. There was no way Jerry could get the tracking device installed in time … that is if we found it. I was worried about Dominic, but I quickly shook it off; he was a big boy, he knew how to handle himself.

I just hoped he wouldn't come back with an undercover cop this time.

Seeing Dom's crash really shook me up. It wasn't his first crash – we've all done it – but the sheer sound of the two metal hunks colliding was enough to freak me out. The thought of Julian finally connecting with Dom, only to lose him in a crash terrified. It made me wonder if doing the competition was worth it. If racing was even worth it.

Before I knew it, we were pulling in the lot of the clubhouse, where the Daytona was already waiting. I was shocked to see two bikers step of the car.

"What happened to you guys?" I asked as I stepped out, gawking at their bloody knuckles.

"We got the chief his car," one replied, tossing me the keys and high-fiving his friend.

"Tell the Big Guy he might want to change the interior. It's kinda nasty in there," the other chuckled before they hopped on the bike.

"Jerry, how long is it going to take you to get that tracker on?" I asked as he rushed over to the car and popped the hood.

"Six minutes tops," he called back.

"Well you have three. Make it happen."

At that time, the door to the clubhouse opened, revealing Mickey, Krauss, and Mia. The two bikers boarded their bikes and took off down the path behind the others.

"Where is Dominic?" Mia asked, her voice filled with panic when she noticed her brother missing.

"Babe, relax," Brian tried to calm the woman but she was becoming increasingly panicked.

"No. Letty, tell me! Where is he?" she asked, staring into my eyes with worry. Sometimes I found myself jealous of the bond between Mia and Dom. Being an only child, I always wanted a sibling to annoy, or to worry about.

Suddenly, the familiar roar of Dom's car echoed over the hillside around the clubhouse. His headlights beamed down on us as he parked and stepped out. Mia bolted over to his car and threw her arms around his neck.

"They said you wrecked," Mia said while checking him for injuries.

"I'm fine, Mia," he smiled while brushing her off, but his eyes told a different story. They were distant, scared even.

"Are you sure?" I asked with furrowed brows.

He looked at me and hesitated with his reply. It was clear something had Dom thinking, but he refused to let on what was bothering him.

"I'm fine. But my babies need some work," he turned to the Daytona that had some front-end damage, then to the Challenger that needed work on both ends. "Jerry, how's it going with that tracker?"

"Good. Almost done," he peeked out with his response.

"Come on," I tugged at Dom's shirt, "Let's go to bed."

"Together?" the tone of his voice matched the spark in his eye, and I knew what he was insinuating.

"No,_ ass_," I teased, "Come say goodnight to your son."

I led the way into the house, saying my goodnights to the others as we made our way to my bedroom. I quietly cracked the door open to see my prince sleeping soundly in the center of the bed. I crept through the dark over to get out of my racing clothes. I glanced over my shoulder and watched as Dom sat on the bed and leaned over Julian, kissing him gently on the head.

I couldn't break my eyes away from the sight of Dom and Julian. The thought that together, Dominic and I created something so small, so innocent was an intense one. I never pictured us as the happy family with the picket fence and the dog, that wasn't who we were. Dysfunctional, restless, adrenaline junkies with modified cars… that was before the tanker heist. Now we had a three year-old baby boy who relied on us to keep our shit together. He needed us to work out our differences and make things work, for him. I knew there would be no way I could separate the two of them again.

"All right, Lett," Dom's voice snapped me out of my trance. I hurriedly changed into shorts and an old t-shirt before turning to Dom, who was now standing by the bed. "I'll see you guys in the morning."

I kept a safe distance from across the room, "Sweet dreams."

We stood in the dark, watching each other under the small stream of moonlight coming from the window. The sexual tension between us was starting to boil over, and I was unsure how long I'd be able to resist him. I needed to make him wait. I wanted to know that he would. Watching his silhouette lurk near the door, his cologne floating through the air and his dark eyes staring through to my soul made it hard for me not to run to him. I dug my toes into the carpet when his tongue darted across his lips as he stared at me with desire.

"I guess I better go," Dom said and hesitantly opened the door. I followed him slowly, getting a good look at his ass on the way. He made it a few feet from the door before turning back, "You looked good out there. It's nice to see you haven't lost your touch."

"Just like riding a bike," I shrugged.

He grew a wide smile that melted my heart, "You weren't very good on two wheels."


	35. Chapter 34

**Thanks for the reviews! Glad to see people still interested!**

_**Chapter 34-Day Dates**_

_**Dom's POV**_

"Leticia! Let's go!" I yelled from the doors of the clubhouse.

"Where are you guys going?" Brian asked as he loaded Brooklyn's car seat in the back of James' Lancer.

"I don't know yet, wherever she wants. It really doesn't matter," I replied, buckling Julian's Scooby-Doo car seat just the same in the back of the Jetta. "You?"

"Well Mia wants to find a park for Brooklyn and Jessie to run around in. Tire them both out for the real date tonight," he wiggled his eyebrows with a smile.

"Enough," I grumbled. I still didn't like to think about my precious baby sister under any man, but I respected Brian and their relationship enough not to pound his face in for his comment.

Brian chuckled, "We're gonna have a little picnic. That's why I needed the Lancer. Brooklyn can't handle the small space in the Nissan. You should've seen what she did to Mia's make-up chest."

"Well have your phone on. I told Leon to call either of us if anything came up."

Looking over at the garage, the other guys were already hard at work detailing their respective new rides. Leon kept himself busy by starting on the front-end work on the Daytona. I wanted to work on it myself, but I trusted Le enough to take care of it while I was out.

"I'm worried about him, Dom," Brian whispered and nodded over to Leon. "He hasn't said a word since we left last night. He doesn't look too good."

I leaned against the hood and gave my old friend a long look. Leon's appearance was sluggish; his face thinner and frighteningly pale and his brows were in a permanent crease. The way his clothes hanged off his body said that he had lost some weight and he moved around as if he were in constant pain.

"Think he's using again?" I asked as the thought crossed my mind.

"I don't know. He could just be worried about his brother," Brian responded.

"We gotta get the kid out of there before Leon worries himself to death. I'll make sure to tell them to keep an eye on him."

I watched Leon for a few seconds longer before turning back to the door, "Letty! Mia! Let's go!"

At that moment, the two-way pager in my pocket went off, signaling the second clue of the race. I flipped open the device before reading it aloud, "Congratulations to all teams for completing the first step of the race. Each team managed to activate their trackers before the deadline, therefore confirming five groups in the competition. As for your second clue – new identities. If your team manages to make it out of this alive, everyone on this side of the world will be looking for you. That means new names and lives. Be prepared to throw your old lives away forever because there will be no turning back."

"You up for new lives?" Brian asked sarcastically.

"I thought this was our new life?" I retorted with a grin.

"I meant ones where we don't rob international armies," he replied with a grin. "After this, we settle for good. Go our separate ways… at least until things die down."

I thought long about what Brian was saying. I was never the type who liked to be away from family, though ironically that's how I spent my entire life. Away. Two years in Lompoc at nineteen, leaving after the semi-truck heists, abandoning Letty in the Dominican Republic – running was what I did best. I knew we had to move on with our lives. It wasn't safe to stick together with several international police agencies looking for us.

"For once, O'Connor, I think you may be right," I grinned as he shook his head. "Letty! Mia! Let's go!"

"We're coming, jeez!" Letty yelled back as she and Mia were led out of the door by screaming toddlers. Brian and I caught the children, sending them both through a fit of laughter.

"How's it feel, brother?" Brian asked with a wide smile as he nodded to Julian, who was resting his head on my shoulder, his curly hair tickling my face.

"Unlike anything I've ever felt. Amazing," I said as I rubbed soothing circles on his back.

"What's amazing?" Mia asked as she and Letty made it over to us.

"Fatherhood," Brian replied as she leaned in for a kiss.

Letty and I shared a look of pride before I sat Julian down in his car seat.

"So what's the plan?" she asked as she slid in the car. I followed suit, taking my place in the driver's seat.

"You always talked about wanting to see the country. It's your choice," I offered, receiving an appreciative nod in return.

So we were off on our own adventure in the city. It was nice, being alone with the two of them. Being able to look over and see her lounging in the passenger seat, legs sprawled across the dash made my hear thump. It was unreal. Just two years ago I was grieving at her grave site, and now she was here again.

What was even better? Looking in the rearview mirror to see a boy I called my son.

_Our _son.

"Dom, do you hear me?" Letty's voice brought me back to reality. "I asked if you have a plan to get Luke out yet. I can't help feeling like crap because he's in there. He doesn't deserve that."

My happy mood diminished slightly, but I didn't let it show, "I haven't quite figured that out yet. The boys and I are gonna sit around and plan that tonight."

I made sure to choose my next words carefully, "So what is the deal with you and Luke? Was he your boyfriend?"

Letty gave me a strange look, "Not exactly. I only knew him for a few weeks. If you're asking why I care about him… it's because he was there. He looked after Julian and me," she said somberly. "It wasn't so lonely when I found him."

I looked down, angry at myself for putting the woman I loved in that position. I pushed her away and into the arms of another man, one whom she still cared for. I couldn't stop picturing them together; working on cars, chasing Julian around the place the shared… being intimate when they were alone.

"Did you have sex?" I couldn't stop the word vomit from coming out of my mouth.

"Excuse me?" she scoffed, "I don't think that's any of your business. What about you? How did you end up with the cop? A bit hypocritical, don't you think?"

"We had a mutual understanding about things. Or so I thought. She was dealing with a loss as well, so we used each other for comfort. I think my memory of you was too much for her to deal with, so we had to part ways."

"Mia said she kicked her ass to the curb, literally," Letty said with a contagious smirk. "She's lucky Mia got to her first. Bitch will regret touching my car."

I chuckled at her words. I had pictured Letty and Elena duking it out many times before, and it never ended well for the Brazilian woman. I just hoped Elena never had to meet Letty.

We drove around Freising for almost an hour, looking at the intriguing scenery around the tourist town. Letty was enthralled by the massive sculptures, buildings, and statues that stood tall around the businesses. She even stopped to take pictures with a camera she borrowed from Mia, forcing myself and Julian into a few flicks as well. I didn't mind the constant stops and pictures; it only meant that she wanted to create new memories and I was more than ready for new.

Watching Lett with our son was the best feeling I had experienced. I never thought I'd get to see her do the things with our kid that I watched Mia do with Brooklyn. I thought all hope was gone to see her change his pull-up, or wipe crackers from his face, or even carry his diaper bag. I loved seeing her maternal side. I never thought of Letty as being very motherly, but it looked good on her.

Letty spotted a slew of florist booths and led us over. I was shocked – she wasn't a big fan of flowers before. She leaned over and took a whiff of a bouquet of a captivating blue flower with yellow center.

"You like those?" I asked, fascinated by the plant myself.

"They're pretty," she murmured with a smile. "What's the name of these?" she asked the booth attendant.

"The Forget-me-nots," I said before the woman could reply. Letty and the woman looked at me with surprised faces.

"Correct, handsome," the woman smiled. I gave Letty a grin while shrugging – I knew a little about plants. "Ah, the Forget-me-nots, a favorite amongst the married tourists. It's said that whomever wore this flower wouldn't be forgotten by his or her lover."

Letty and I shared a knowing look before I turned back to the florist, "They're perfect. I'll take some of those. And those – Mia would love those," I said as I pointed to white bell-shaped flowers with a sweet scent.

"Ah, Lilly of the Valley, you have good taste," the woman smiled again while bagging the two sets of flowers for us. "It is said the Lilly is good luck and symbolizes a return of happiness. Hold on tight to this one, sweetie," the florist said to Letty, pinching my cheek slightly.

Letty blushed and turned to me, "He's a little squirmy."

"They all are honey," she said while handing over the flowers, "But once you give him a reason to stay, he's there forever."

My eyes instantly went to Julian, who was already smiling at me cheekily.

Letty and Julian were the only reasons I needed.

* * *

_**Leon's POV**_

"Leo, you alright, dude?" that Twinkie kid asked for the fifth time. I wanted to pound the little twerp for being so annoying, but I knew he was just doing what Dom had asked – look after Leon.

I knew that meant _'make sure he doesn't kill himself'_. I didn't need a babysitter, let alone five of them. I knew Dom was just looking out for me, but I was getting increasingly agitated at the men babying me. I knew my anger had a lot to do with the drugs, but I wasn't sure if I could ward off the cravings. I kept my hands busy with the Daytona by cleaning up the smashed-in front fender and scrubbing the dried blood from the upholstery.

"I'm fine, kid. Get back to work," I grumbled from behind the front seat of the Daytona, where I was now replacing the driver-side window that was smashed out thanks to the B.O.D.

Though I worked nonstop that morning, I couldn't stop thinking about Luke. I thought of all the ways I could rescue my baby brother without getting myself killed, but nothing came to mind. Lucas was a tough kid, but even the strongest of men couldn't endure that type of torture for long. The poor kid had to be terrified being locked in that hell with those men. I could only hope that they showed mercy on him.

"Leon, take a break with me," James called from the doors. I sighed and nodded, realizing that I could use some fresh air. I pulled a cigarette from my pack and lit it as we took a seat away from the others. "How you holding up?"

"Not well, man," I replied, taking a long drag off my smoke. "I can't stop thinking about Luke, my skin feels like its ripping apart from my body, and my friends are about to pull off the biggest heist in history to save my ass, and I can't even help."

"Yeah, things are pretty wild," he replied, "We're gonna get to Lukey, don't worry. And we're gonna win this race, too. As for your body, I have this," James said while looking sneakily over at the garage before reaching into his pocket.

I already knew where this was going. He pulled out a small clear bag with a white dust inside and handed it to me. I shook my head and pushed it away, "I can't, James. I have to kick that shit."

"Come on, Le. It'll help you out. I know you hate the tremors. You'll feel a lot better," he continued on, but I refused once again.

"I can't. Dom will kick my ass, not to mention Letty. I can't betray their trust."

"They aren't here, are they?" James asked with questioning eyes, standing from his spot on the ground. He dropped the bag on the ground beside me and made his way back to the garage. I picked up the bag, twirling it between my fingers as I struggled with my conscience.

* * *

_**Letty's POV**_

"…Hold on tight to this one, sweetie," the nice florist said to me with a smile.

I felt my face heat up as I turned to look at Dominic, "He's a little squirmy."

He chuckled and turned to the money in his pocket and pulled out a few bills.

"They all are, honey," the woman said while handing over two bouquets of flowers. "But once you give him a reason to stay, he's there forever."

I thought about her words and followed Dom's line of vision to Julian, who had been making silly faces at Dom while he wasn't looking. The way Julian smiled when Dom caught his eye warmed my heart. I hadn't seen Julian beam like that before he met his father, and I hoped he wouldn't have to lose that smile.

"JuJu hungry," Julian whined as we moved along.

"Let's take these to the car, then we'll find somewhere to eat," Dom said and I nodded, strolling along with Julian in my arms. I adjusted him several times while we walked back to the car, my arms burning and aching.

"Ugh, JuJu. You're getting chunky, man," I groaned while positioning him better on my hip.

"Switch me," Dom said, holding out the flowers for me to take. I happily handed over Julian to his dad, shaking my arms free of the cramps before taking the flowers off his hands.

I watched Dom and Julian closely as we walked side by side. Their connection was instant, and sweet to watch. Julian kept a tight grip on Dom's fingers as they had their own private conversation. I ran ahead to the car to drop off the flowers, and retrieved Julian's baby stroller from the trunk. I cringed when he clung to Dom at the sight of the stroller.

"What's wrong with him?" Dom asked worried as Julian whined against his neck.

"He hates the stroller," I sighed, rubbing Julian's back soothingly. "Come on, Jules. Daddy can't carry you forever."

"Yeah huh! He's s'wong. He's Supa'man," Julian's know-it-all tone cracked us both up.

"Superman, huh?" Dom asked with a cocky smile.

"You remember the Halloween you dressed up like Superman and I like Wonder Woman? Well after showing him those pictures, he is convinced that you are, in fact, Superman."

Dom looked at Julian proudly, giving me a cheeky smile, "You showed him pictures?"

"Of course," I replied as we started out on a search for food. Dom opted to carry Julian, but I pushed the stroller just in case. "I wasn't going to let him grow up without knowing who his father was, especially if I knew. It wasn't fair."

"You have to know, Lett – if I knew about him, I would've come back. Hell, I wouldn't have left," his voice was soft and sincere.

"How do you know? You thought it was for the best when it was just me," I replied. "How do I know you wouldn't have turned yourself in just to keep away from us…to keep us safe?"

Dom hesitated before answering, "I don't. But I do know that I would've never left you to deal with that alone."

His brown eyes were earnest as he stared at me with conviction. I turned on my heels and walked inside of a nearby restaurant. I couldn't have this conversation on an empty stomach.

"Pizzaa!" Julian exclaimed as he saw his favorite dish in the quaint, Italian restaurant.

We ordered a pie to share and took a seat near the back of the restaurant. I sat across from Dom and watched with a grin as he struggled with the booster seat for Julian. When he finally managed to situate Julian in the seat, I began firing off questions.

"How could you go? How could you look me in the eye and tell me you wouldn't leave, and then do it without a second thought?"

"I panicked," he sighed, "They were so close. I couldn't let them take you in. I would've died fighting to keep you out of jail. I thought leaving was the best way to do it."

"You need to know, I went through a lot after you left…" I trailed off, his eyes dimming a little. He didn't speak so I continued, "I was really messed up. When I found out I was pregnant a month after you left, I fell into a serious bout of depression. I wanted to give up on life. I thought there was no way I could take care of a child on my own, in a foreign country, without a dime or a home to live in. I went home to find Mia, only she was gone too. I had no one."

Thankfully, the server came with the food, halting the conversation for a moment. It gave me a chance to gather my emotions and calm my racing heart. I gave Julian a slice to start him off and turned back to Dominic, who was waiting patiently for me to continue, "I raced and worked in garages until I was seven and a half months pregnant with him just to afford a crappy motel room and food. I stayed with my Tia in the Dominican on bedrest for the last two months of my pregnancy."

"Tell me about the day you had him. What was that like?" Dom asked, genuinely interested in the birth of his son.

_**Flashback – May 18**__**th**__**, 20**08__. 3:40 A.M_

_I wrapped the bathrobe around my body as I stepped out of the bathroom. I waddled slowly, tiptoeing over the creaking wood to my small bedroom in the tiny villa I shared with my Tia Angelique. I slipped into my bedroom and shut the door, dropping the robe to my feet. My back ached and my feet were swollen and all I wanted to do was sleep, but my unnamed baby boy was a little hyper, so I knew rest was out of the question. Even worse, I had been experiencing slight contractions throughout the evening and they were becoming unbearable. I had rushed myself to the hospital on four different occasions already because of the false labour, so I wasn't in any hurry this time around. _

"_Only a week," I whispered anxiously. One week until this little guy was due and I couldn't wait. I was over the morning sickness, barely being able to stand the smell of car oil, and over-friendly women trying to touch my stomach. _

_I was going to snap if one more woman tried to touch my belly. _

_I slipped in some sweat pants and an extra-large t-shirt, leaving my wet hair to air-dry. I doubled over in pain as I took a seat at the small table in my room, another contraction riddling my body. Only this time, the contraction was slightly longer, and more painful. _

"_Come on, kiddo, let Mommy focus," I begged the soccer star in my protruding belly as I started work on my stencil sketches. As a hobby, I enjoyed doing vinyl sketches for cars. It was relaxing, and it took my mind off the loneliness I felt day in and out. It also helped me make a little extra cash when I found someone interested in buying them._

_At that moment, I felt another painful contraction shoot through my belly. I placed a hand on my stomach, hoping to relieve some of the pressure but it was no use._

"_What is the deal, man?" I asked to the little person living inside of me. I felt a moist sensation that leaked between my legs and I instantly became alarmed. That was new._

"_Oh shit, oh shit," I cursed as I hurriedly shoved my feet into sandals and grabbed my suitcase off the table. I shoved everything that could fit into the bag and crept out of the room. I hurried to the front door and gently lifted a set of keys from the table, careful not to wake any of the random men lying around the floor. I wasn't sure whose keys they were, but the alarm on the ring unlocked the doors to a Honda Civic, so it'd have to do._

_I tossed my bag in the car and raced as quickly as I could to the hospital. The contractions made me feel lightheaded, and I was afraid I wouldn't make it to the hospital in time. I felt like this baby was ripping his way through my body with claws and focusing on the road was becoming impossible. _

_My heart raced with panic. Was tonight the night? Was I about to be thrust into parenthood all alone, without a fucking clue of what to do next? _

_Before I knew it, I was slamming on the brakes in front of the emergency doors of the hospital. I slammed my hand on the brakes several times as another contraction rolled through. I was going to need help making it in. I yelled out in agony as I prayed for someone to help. Thankfully, a male nurse was taking his break at the time and noticed my frantic behavior from the building. The man rushed over to me with a wheelchair and helped me out of the car. I made sure to grab my suitcase before he wheeled me into the hospital._

"_What is your name, dear?" he asked me gently._

"_Leticia Saunders," I lied, handing over my fake ID and phony insurance cards. "Get this baby out of me, now!"_

"You mean this little guy was a hellion during pregnancy? I don't believe it," Dom interrupted my story and nodded over to Julian, who was currently covered in pizza sauce and somehow had pepperoni stuck in his hair.

"Oh believe it…"

"_Get this baby out of me now! Holy shit!" I screamed from my position on the hospital bed. The little guy was definitely on the way, and there wasn't any stopping it now. I took several deep breaths as my midwife Kathleen instructed, and waited for the doctor's signal to push._

"_Let's go, Ms. Saunders, he's almost here," he coaxed me. I gave one last, strong push before I heard the room fill with cries of my new baby boy. I felt an instant sense of relief and exhaustion. The doctor stood from his chair with my son in his arms. "And here we have a boy."_

_When he handed over the gray-eyed beauty, I immediately burst into tears. The tiny heathen who had been kicking my ribs in for nine months was finally here and he was more than I could have dreamed for. His head was covered in dark curls and his skin was the same tone as my own, albeit a bit red from his arrival. I was mesmerized by his gray eyes that were wide and alert, staring back at me with curiosity._

"_His eyes are beautiful," I murmured, showing him off to the midwife who had been a fixture in my life the past six months._

"_Don't get attached to them; most newborns are born with blue or gray eyes, but they will change to their more permanent color within a few days, maybe even weeks. But he is one gorgeous baby, congratulations Letty."_

_He was beautiful, I had to agree. He had my lips, but everything else was all Dominic. He was an exact replica, with the exception of his bright gray eyes. They were shaped exactly like my father's gray eyes, the only man who stood by me until his last days. The more I looked at my son, the more I saw the similarities between him and my father._

_This made me smile, the first real smile in a long time. _

_My father's words finally made sense - while there is life, there is hope. My son coming to this world was a second chance I needed to get things straightened out. He was my saving grace._

"_I think I'll call you Julian. I think Grandpa would like that," I whispered to boy, who didn't break eye-contact with me. "I know Mommy hasn't been very nice these past few months, but I promise, I will never leave you behind. I will never abandon you, and I will never stop loving you. Ride or die, Julian," I made a promise to him that I would die to keep. A part of me wanted to scream for Dominic, to beg and plead for him to come home to me, to his child, but I refused to. _

_I was determined to step up and take care of my son – with or without the help of his father._

"I'm sorry that I wasn't there," Dom said softly, placing his hand over mine on the table. The contact sent chills over my body. "I'm sorry you had to do that alone. Letty, I realize that it was wrong of me to leave - but you have to know I had no idea you were alive. If I did, I would've come for you."

"I know, Dom. But I need to know you won't leave again. I need to know that after this job is done, you won't leave he and I on our own to fight everyone off."

"I'm not going anywhere," Dom's words were stern and convincing. "I just want to have my family together."

"You have a lot of catching up to do, but the least I can do is give you a chance."

Dom's smile was infectious. He leaned across the table and took my lips in a quick kiss before I had time to protest. I gave him a sly grin before digging into my food.

"JuJu kisses?" Julian's bottom lip quivered as he pouted. He hated being left out of anything. Dom and I leaned in at the same time to plant kisses on Julian's cheeks, sending him into a fit of laughter.


	36. Chapter 35

**Thanks for the love! These trailers have me so anxious for the new movie, I've already started thinking of plots for a new story after the release. But I am determined to give you guys this story completed first! Keep reading and reviewing please!**

_**Chapter 35-Family Bonding**_

"Wakey, wakey," a gruff voice startled Luke from his slumber. He was disoriented and clueless as to where he was, but the memories of the previous day quickly came rushing back to him. He was chained and locked inside a room… without anyway of escaping… with murderous drug dealers on the other side of the door.

No Letty. No Leon. No one to help him.

The sound of the plate hitting the concrete floor jolted him back to the present, where a bearded man in all black stood over him.

"Found some breakfast in the basement for you. We're not use to having guests. Enjoy," he grumbled. Luke looked down at the nearly-green slice of bread and rotted cheese that lay meekly on the dish. Luke pushed the disgusting food away, not daring to touch the meal. He'd rather starve. "That's rude, you little shit. But suit yourself," the brute laughed and retrieved the plate. He stood and took one gulp to down the rest of his beer.

Luke silently wondered what time it was if he was drinking a beer during breakfast time.

He let out a sigh of relief when the man disappeared behind the door. Luke's body was sore from the hard floor and the heavy chains around his ankles and wrists didn't help with comfort, but he was alive, and for that he was grateful. He was startled again when the rusted metal door crept open, only this time it was the young boy, Erik, from the night before with a large paper bag dangling from his fingertips.

"Hey, how're you feeling?" he asked as he used a brick to hold the door open. He couldn't afford to get locked in with the prisoner whom he was forbidden to speak with.

"Like I slept on a concrete floor," Luke groaned as his eyes remained fixated on the paper bag. "What's in the bag?"

"I made a run to the convenience store. Got you some things."

"How am I supposed to keep this stuff? I have nowhere to hide it. They'll know you were here," Luke said as he watched Erik pull out a pair of socks, a plain t-shirt, and pair of basketball shorts.

"Don't worry; I paid Jacque off to keep me out of it. The shorts might be a little small, they're mine," the young boy said while handing the things over. He turned away as Luke hurriedly dressed in the clothes. The shorts were entirely too short, but it was better than his ass freezing out the back of the hospital gown. "Here's a ham sandwich and a few bottles of water. Eat it fast."

Erik didn't have to tell Luke twice as he gobbled the food down with three bites. He barely had the food down before gulping half of the first bottled water down. "You're due for your first injection in forty-five minutes. There is nothing I can do about that but prepare you."

Luke was terrified now. He had never done any hard drugs, a little pot here and there, but nothing serious. Being slammed with a dose of pure crystal meth was never on his bucket list, but being a captive, he had no choice. His fear skyrocketed as he thought of his future in this place.

"How many injections?" he asked once he had the food down.

Erik's eyes downcast somberly, "Frankly, as many as you can survive. I just pray your friends make it before it's too late."

Luke thought about his "friends", the ones who left him here. They weren't his friends at all, they were Leon's. The only one who he could've considered a friend was Letty, but where was she but back with Dominic?

"They aren't coming back," Erik looked at Luke with questioning eyes.

"What do you mean? They have to."

"They don't know me. Hell, they didn't even know I existed until a few days ago. They aren't gonna risk their lives for me."

"I don't think that's true. What about your brother? He wouldn't leave you behind, would he?"

"It's all he's ever done. All he's talked about was being back with them. He has them now, why come back?"

"That's harsh," Erik said while placing an comforting hand on his shoulder. "I have to be going now. Just try to stay calm and relaxed… it'll be a lot less painful."

* * *

Dom and Letty toured the city of Freising for another hour before deciding to call it a day. Julian fell fast asleep on the ride home, giving the adults time to talk privately. The two talked like old friends about everything from the safe debacle in Rio, to the cars won and lost on the road. They managed to keep the conversation light, staying away from topics such as Elena and Luke, but when Letty's thoughts drifted to an old friend, she had questions to ask.

"Dom, what happened to Vince?" Letty's voice was soft and cautious, unsure how he would react to the topic.

Dom immediately tensed up in the driver's seat, but his face remained stoic.

"After we were captured in Rio by the police, Reyes sent his men after us. They attacked the truck we were riding in. Vince caught a stray bullet in the aftermath. Died twenty minutes later right in front of my eyes. "

"Damn," Letty muttered under her breath. Tears began to fill her eyes, but she didn't let them fall, "I didn't get to say goodbye. He didn't get to meet his nephew, or his niece."

"During the train job, we found the chip that belonged to Hernan Reyes money laundering ring. I caught V trying to take the chip for himself. I kicked him out. I made him leave," Dom's voice was raspier than normal, which led Letty to believe that the big man was close to tears.

Letty could count on one hand that amount of times she saw Dominic cry, but each time was just as hard to watch as before. Dom was never much of a griever. He kept his emotions bottled in for ages. Normally, they were released in violent fits of rage, but rarely did he cry.

She could only place a comforting hand on his thigh, "You were doing what you thought was best."

"Vince was family. He was my best friend since third grade. You never make family leave," Dom parked at the bottom of the gravel road from the clubhouse and hurried out the car. Letty followed him but kept a safe distance between them. She watched the giant roam solemnly around the field.

"He named his son after me, Lett. Little Nico. And I let them down. Jess too."

"Dominic," Letty went to him and took his face in her hands, "Do not beat yourself up over this. Vince was a damn good man, and I hate that he's gone too, but we all knew what we were getting into when we chose this life for ourselves. Vince wouldn't blame you for his being gone, and neither would Jesse, so you shouldn't either."

Letty knew he needed to console in her, so she didn't mind when Dom wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her flush against his.

"I miss him. We shouldn't be doing this without him," Dom hummed in her ear. Letty moved to look in his eyes, which were sorrowful and heartbroken.

"Oh no, you do not get to do that. We didn't get to back out of the trucks, and you don't get to back out of this. We are gonna do this job, in honor of V and Jesse. We are gonna get that money, and get out of this shit. Nico is without a father, but I'll be damned if I leave that little boy without parents because of that asshole Alvaro," she said, pointing back to the car where Julian rested soundly. "After this job, Dom, we are done risking our lives for the rush. No more jobs, no more racing, no more running."

Dom gave an agreeing nod, "Never thought I'd hear you say you didn't want to race anymore. You live for the rush."

"It's time to grow up," she shrugged, finally pulling out of the embrace, "He needs me more than I need that rush. _He_ gives me that rush."

"What about me?" he asked with a goofy grin, sniffling away any left over tears.

"You give me a headache, Dominic," she smirked before nodding to the car. "Let's go."

As they pulled up to the clubhouse, Dom and Letty were shocked at the scene in front of them. Clothes were sprawled out on the gravel lot, along with other personal items. The boys stood watch as Leon hurled more clothes and shoes into the lot against the protests of James, his good friend.

"Leon! Come on, brother!" James begged as he scooped his things up from the ground.

"I'm not your brother! Because of you, I dug myself into this shit, along with my _real_ brother!"

Dom lifted Julian from the backseat and handed him over to Letty before moving over to the commotion.

"Get the hell off of this lot!" Leon barked at James from the doorway before disappearing back inside.

"What's going on? Lovers quarrel?" Dom asked Twinkie jokingly.

"I don't know, man. We've been working all day. We finally took a break to eat about an hour ago. When we came back, Leon blew up on James, screaming at him to get his shit and go. Leon's been on edge all day, we have no clue what made him snap."

Leon sprung from the house again, this time without anymore of James' things. This time he had a baseball bat, and he was handed straight for James.

"Whoa!" Dom exclaimed before jumping between the two men. He pushed Leon away while Sean grabbed James, saving him from a major league swing. "What's the problem, Leo?"

"I want this motherfucker gone!" Leon yelled as he lunged for James again.

"Get your things and go," Dom said calmly to James without another question.

"You aren't even going to ask why? I have nowhere to go!" James scoffed. "This is bullshit."

"Leon is my brother. More valuable to this team and this family than you are. If he wants you gone, I don't need to know why," Dom replied, stepping in James' face.

At this time, the Lancer came roaring up the hill. Brian sensed the tension and quickly slammed the car in park. Brian noticed Leon's bat and made a bee-line for the turmoil, while Mia hurried in the home with her sleeping child.

"What's going on? Brian asked worriedly.

"This," Leon reached into his pocket and tossed something at James' feet. They recognized it as one of the drug packets. "You are the reason I'm hooked on this shit in the first place. I was a fucking idiot for letting you get in my head, you piece of shit!" Leon raged at a man he considered a best friend.

Dom had to use a lot of his strength to keep Leon away from James. He never remembered Leon being so powerful, but he figured some of it was attributed to the drugs.

"I can't believe you're coming at me like this. I've done everything you ever asked of me. You asked me to get us this connection after you tasted that shit. You knew it was a gem and you knew we could make money!"

"But I didn't know it would ruin my fucking life," Leon cracked, shrugging violently out of Dom's arms. "He better be gone when I get back."

James stood broken and angry as Leon stormed back into the clubhouse. Leon had become a brother to James in the past three years, and the hostility was frightening.

"You heard the man. It's time to go," Dom said while pointing to the Lancer.

"What about my car? I won it fair and square," James asked, "And the race... you need me. You don't have another driver who can drive like me. Who's gonna be your fifth? Twink?" James scoffed with a laugh.

"Don't worry about that. Now leave while you still have legs to move on," Dom growled while taking a step toward him. "And the car stays… unless you want to try to take it from me…" Dom waited for a reaction, but instead James gathered his things and walked backwards to his car. "Good choice. Leave the country. If I find out that you've even tried to contact Leon, Jerry, or any of us, I will hunt you down."

Brian noticed a wallet on the ground and picked it up, taking a look inside, "And if I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut for my own safety. I'd hate to see what those dangerous business men would do if they found out James Robert Conrad of Reno, Nevada ran his mouth," Brian looked to Dom with a smile and a sense of déjà vu. "Sounds like a serial killer name."

James caught the wallet that Brian tossed at him and launched his things in the car. He stopped at the driver's side before turning back to them, just as Leon was coming to the doorway. "He ruined your life, Nardo! Not me! He's the reason you can't go back home! He's the reason Jesse and Vince are dead! And he's going to be the reason you end up behind bars for the rest of your life. _All of you_!" James' words were harsh and cutting as he slid into his car and spun up the wheels out of the lot.

The tension was high as everyone turned to Leon. He stood with tears running down his face and the bat hanging loosely from his fingertips, anxiety oozing from him. Dom made his way over slowly and cautiously – he didn't know what mental state Leon was in.

"What'd I tell you, Le? I said we were gonna get you some help, as long as you want it," Dom said softly as he approached the troubled man. "What you just did shows me that you want it. We're going kick this thing together and I promise brother, when this is all over and we have Luke back, we won't have any more problems. No more jobs, no more racing."

"How can I believe you, Dom? You know how many times that I've heard that from you?" Leon asked while pointing the bat, stopping Dom in his tracks. "I can't do much more of this shit, Dom. It's killing me, dawg."

Letty and Mia found themselves holding hands during the tender moment. The group of friends had been through a lot together, and slowly, they were all reaching their breaking points.

"I know, Le, but this is real. We hop on a plane to wherever you want and we live, for once. We stop running and doing crazy shit and we become a family again," Dom was only a few feet away from Leon now, and he couldn't say that he wasn't nervous. But when the bat slipped from Leon's fingers and his legs gave way, Dom was there to catch him.

He helped Leon inside and the others followed and made their way to lounge.

"Everyone have a seat," Dom grumbled while helping Leon down in the recliner.

"Mia, get some beers, would ya?" Brian asked as he went to check on the sleeping children.

Letty joined her behind the bar to gather the drinks. Mia turned to Letty quietly, "How'd the date go? Are you guys getting closer?"

Letty smiled; only Mia could think about a date at a time like this. Letty realized that a little girl time with Mia wouldn't hurt. It'd give the guys a chance to talk without the mother hen in the room. "How about we drop these off and go talk about it?"

Mia nodded and the two carried the brews over to the men. Letty leaned over Dom on the sofa and whispered in his ear, "Getting nosey out of your hair for a while. I'll see you tonight."

Dom gave a small smile that grew when Letty planted a kiss on his cheek before leading Mia out the front door.

* * *

_**Dom's POV**_

I couldn't stop the grin from stretching across my face as she told me she would see me tonight. I wasn't sure what it meant, but I was keeping all options open. My smile grew as her soft lips lingered on my cheek before she sauntered away. I watched Letty's ass sway as she headed for the door.

"I see you two are getting cozy again," Leon remarked after she was out the door.

"It's a work in progress," I replied with a smile. "But that's not why we need to talk. We have to get Luke out. We have seven days until the competition, but he needs to be back with us before then. We have to come up with a plan to get the kid out."

"He's not a kid, Dom. And say we do get him out; how is this little three-way love triangle gonna work with you and Lett?" the hostility was still evident in Leon's voice, but I let it slide.

"That's not important. The mission right now is get inside that plant and get Lucas back. I think after that, we should head straight for Berlin to avoid any backlash from Alvaro."

"You heard Slythe, Dom. If we go ahead of schedule, we might miss a clue," Sean said adamantly.

"It's a risk we're going to have to take. We know where we are headed and we know what we are after. We should be able to figure it out from there," Brian added in.

"I'm going with you guys… to get Luke. I need to be there," Leon begged while staring inside his bottle dazedly. "He needs to know I haven't abandoned him again."

Leon's current health issue made me reluctant, "Can you handle this? Going back into that place is like throwing yourself to the wolves."

"He's my brother. If anything, I should be the one rescuing him, not you. You didn't get him stuck in there."

"OK. We'll move in two days. That'll give us time to stake out the plant and make moving preparations."

"Dom, how do we move the cars with the trackers?" Twinkie brought up a good point. "He'll know we've jumped ahead, and then he'll think something is up."

"Back when I was on the Force, we saw a lot of DRFM systems with crooks that had their own techies," said Brian. His law enforcement background might prove useful for once.

"What's a DRFM system?" I asked curiously.

"Digital radio frequency memory," Jerry spoke up, "I guess I'm techie in the group of crooks?"

"It's an electronic method of jamming the transmitters or redirecting the signals. We can make this happen," Brian said confidently.

I turned to Leon, who looked defeated as he slumped in his chair. "Le, if you can get yourself together and help us pull this off, I'll need you as my fifth man."

Leon looked up at me with a new spark in his eyes, "Seriously D?" I gave him a sure nod with a smile. "Then let's get planning."

* * *

_**Letty's POV**_

I could feel Dom's eyes on my back as I headed for the door behind Mia. We sat at picnic tables near the garage and enjoyed our beers as the sun began descending. I was surprised to see Mia drinking; she hardly ever drank back in L.A.

"You like beer now? What did the Buster do to sweet little ol' Mia?" I teased as I tipped my drink up.

"Trust me – I was corrupted long before Brian came around. No thanks to you talking me into sneaking in to parties and racing behind Dom's back," Mia replied with a laugh while nudging me. "I quickly realized a nice, cold beer after chasing around younger, female version of Vince wasn't such a bad idea."

I laughed at the comparison, "Makes me wonder if ol' Coyote got to you before O'Connor did. Wouldn't that be a twist," I cracked.

Mia turned back at me with a shocked grin, "Shut up! Though I kind of regret not sleeping with him now. Poor guy."

"And why is that?" I asked with a cocked brow.

She shrugged, taking a sip of her drink, "I was always curious. He had that caveman thing going, but it worked for him as he got older. I just always wondered what it would be like, though I was terrified to do it. Vince, rest his soul, was a pig."

I couldn't help but to break out into laughter, "Mia, you thought about sleeping with V? _Coyote_ V? The same V who could burp the specifications of his car after inhaling two large pizzas by himself?" I howled with laughter at her admission. I looked up to the sky, "Jesse, you hearing this, man?"

"Oh shut up, Lett," Mia punched her playfully again. "What about you, sleeping with Leon's brother. That's _almost_ just as gross."

"Hey now, he wasn't all that bad," I disclaimed.

"Oh really?" Mia stood from the table to face me. "Well here's a question, Leticia. Who was better? Lucas or Dominic?"

I thought long about the question that was tough to answer. They both were great lovers.

"Your brother has _always_ been the best lover," I goaded, grossing Mia out.

We talked for another hour about the past and the future, marriage, and motherhood. As much as I hated Brian O'Connor, Mia was head over heels for the guy, and he was a good father to their daughter and for that I was happy. He managed to take care of she and Brooklyn for this long, so I figured that he would make an alright fixture in the family.

"I'm glad you're back, Lett. Dom wasn't the same after everything happened. He had this big piece of himself missing. He was depressing. I haven't seen him smile this much since we were back home in L.A," I gave a small smile as I thought about the good times in L.A. What I wouldn't give to go back to it. "I know you care for Luke, but whatever you decide, don't take Julian away from Dom. I don't think he could handle losing you two again."

"Don't worry, Mia," I said as I finished off my drink. "I know where home is. I just need to know that Dominic does."


	37. Chapter 36

**Saw the Fast6 movie today and needless to say I was blown away. Incredible plot line and the Dotty love was strong! Can't wait to see it again, and develop a story of my own to it. Double update for you lovely folks!**

_**Chapter 36-Making Up**_

Mia and Letty talked under the stars well into the night. Letty felt like they were back in L.A in the backyard of the Toretto home having "girl time", as Mia liked to call it. Letty liked to call it "Get More Info on Mia's Hot Brother" time.

"What was Elena like?" It was hard for her to spit the words out, but she needed to know. Mia looked back at her friend with stunned eyes before turning back to the open field. "Honestly, Mi."

"Honestly, she was a great woman, at first. Elena was sweet, smart, she really cared about Dom. She was the Maid of Honor at my wedding."

Letty cracked open her third beer to hide her bitterness. Mia always talked about Letty being her Maid of Honor, not one of Dom's rebound bitches.

"She was kind to Dom, waited on him hand and foot. She didn't know a thing about cars, but that didn't stop her from spending hours at the garage with him."

_Another useless airhead under his belt_, Letty thought silently.

"So she was the complete opposite of me?" Letty grasped.

"Yeah, you can say that. I think she tried to be, though. She tried so hard to get Dom to love her the way he loved… _loves_ you. I think she just got to the point where she knew she couldn't compete with you, even from the grave."

A small part of Letty felt a sense of pride after hearing that, though she was reluctant to ask her next question.

"Do you think he loved Elena?"

"Did he love her? Yes. But Dominic Toretto has only been _in love _with one woman in his life," Mia said while standing with a smile. "Are you still in love with Dom?"

Before Letty had the chance to answer, the door to the clubhouse swung open, revealing Brian's smiling face.

"Mia, I might be a little drunk," he slurred as he stumbled out of the house with Sean behind him.

"Oh great," Mia sighed and chugged the last of her beer before walking to her staggering husband. "Jesus, Brian. What did you let them talk you into?"

"This pretty city boy wanted to show that he could handle his liquor with the men," Sean's thick country accent quipped.

"Oh Sweetie, you know you're a lightweight," Mia cooed softly to the inebriated Brian. "Lett, I've got to put the big baby to bed."

"Thanks for the talk, girl," Mia gave her one final smile before disappearing inside with the others.

Instead of heading inside Letty made her way to the garage. She wanted to sit with the beautiful cars and smell the oil while she still had the chance. Pretty soon it would all be behind her. Letty made her way over to the Daytona. Though it needed a few touch-ups, it was still an exquisite ride. She dragged her nails along the cool metal as she walked around the car, checking out every aspect of the muscle car.

Letty was so enthralled in the Daytona that she didn't notice Dom joining her in the garage.

"How's she looking?" he asked with a smile.

"You tell me," she replied coyly. He sauntered over to the front of the car and stood nearly shoulder-to-shoulder with her. The smell of his cologne sent Letty's senses into overload, and the heat radiating from his arm sent chills over her skin. He went on about the car, but she was entirely engrossed in him. The way his muscles twitched when he pointed to the car… the way his massive but gentle hands fiddled with the bottle hanging loosely from his fingers. His smile was heartwarming but his eyes dangerous as they flickered over to her. She felt her resolve slipping away, so she started speaking, "You don't seem drunk like the others."

"Yeah. I got a little carried away after I thought you were gone. I try not to have too many," he shrugged.

"Well you know where I am now. You can go drink yourself into oblivion with the rest of the clan."

She really only wanted him gone because she knew she wouldn't be able to keep her hands off him for much longer.

"I'm good here," he mumbled. His eyes had a twinkle about them and she forced herself to break the contact. She knew what Dom was trying to do, and it was working. Letty moved to lean on the hood of the car as her legs began to quiver. She wasn't sure if it was because of the beers or Dom's hypnotizing eyes. "You know it's been a long time since we've had a garage to ourselves," He started towards her slowly, never taking his eyes off hers.

Letty returned his flirty smirk, "You know with a child, it's rare to have moments alone. I guess we better take advantage of it while we can."

Dom's smile grew wide as he closed the distance between them. He stepped between her legs and took her face in his hands before slowly crashing his lips down onto hers. The kiss instantly sent Letty to nirvana and she couldn't help clutching his t-shirt and pulling him closer. As she dove into the taste of German beer and minty gum, Dom ran his fingers through her curly hair, intensifying the passion of the kiss.

Before she knew it, Dom was pulling away despite Letty's groans.

Letty kept her eyes closed as she spoke, "This better be good."

His low chuckle vibrated her chest, "It will be. I just want to make sure you're ready for this."

"You think I'd still be sitting here if I wasn't?" Letty asked with a cocked brow.

Dom sat their bottles on a nearby toolbox before lifting her body from the car and carrying her to the back of the garage, where a small futon sat waiting. Letty couldn't help but grin as he clung on to her by her ass, just like old times.

"When are you ever gonna change, Mr. Toretto?" Letty asked casually while wiping a few beads of sweat from his brow. Dom buried his face into her bosom, inhaling her scent to confirm that he wasn't dreaming. Letty really was there with him, in his arms.

"There's one thing about me that'll never change," Dom purred as he nuzzled the skin behind her ear.

"Show me," Letty's voice challenged him, and he gladly accepted.

Dom ripped Letty's tank top to shreds to get to her succulent breasts. He cupped the honey-colored mounds roughly as Letty dug her nails into his back. He unstrapped her bra as he licked a trail across her collarbone. Letty moaned as took one of her breast into his mouth, licking and nibbling at her tender bud. She reached for his shirt and tugged it over his head, showing off his ripped and toned muscled. Letty dragged her nails down his chest, reintroducing herself to his large pecs, broad shoulders, and rock-hard abs. He was slightly larger than she remembered, but it only made him look better, if that was possible.

The two lovers kissed again, only this time rougher with more passion. The two ravaged each other, biting and scratching at every available inch of skin between them. When Letty couldn't take it any longer, she stood to kick off her boots and black jeans while Dom kicked off his bottoms as well. Letty mounted Dom again, moaning aloud as she took all of Dom deep inside of her. Letty's head rolled back in ecstasy as she was reminded just how_ blessed_ Dominic was. She clawed at his skin as he thrust deeper inside of her walls. Dom grabbed Letty's face to attack her luscious lips again, biting hard on her lower lip.

The sexual tension that had been building between the two had finally boiled open in the garage of the clubhouse. They weren't concerned with being caught, they never were. When they were together, clawing and scratching at each other for more, nobody else existed. Nobody could penetrate the cloak of passion they created around them.

"Fuck, Dom" Letty whimpered as she felt close to the edge. Looking down at Dom, his head back and eyes shut, she knew he wasn't far behind. Letty wrapped her arms around his head and buried her face in his neck as she rolled over the edge. Dom's hands clenched around her body as he came hard, sending aftershocks over Letty again.

They didn't move from that position for a while. They sat wrapped up in each other, both covered in sweat and panting after the mind-blowing orgasm. Letty rested her forehead against Dom's as her breathing returned to normal.

"What does this mean now?" he asked while looking at her with a smile.

"This means that you're out of the doghouse… for now. But you have a lot of ass-kissing to do," she smirked before pulling Dom in for a short, but sweet kiss.

"I love you, Lett," Dom's words boomed off the walls of the garage and ricocheted in her head. The words created a pang of fear and nervousness in the pit of her stomach. It had been years since she had heard those words from Dom, but it brought her the reassurance she needed about them.

"I love you too, Dom."

* * *

Hobbs stood watch as his men loaded their equipment into their plane. His six-man team, including Audrina, along with Agent Monica Fuentes and their captain Robert Pauley were on their way to Germany to find the Toretto clan and further investigate the competition.

"Glad to see you're playing nice," Audrina said as she approached her adoptive brother. "She was ready to fight you tooth and nail on this."

"What… pillow talk?" he quipped but Red rolled her eyes. "I'm getting my men, one way or another. How are you feeling facing them again?"

Red sighed and thought about the people she lived with for over two years. She let herself get too attached to these people, Leon especially. She crossed the line when she slept with him. Red told herself that it was nothing and that she only did it to further distract him, but she was the one left out-of-sorts. In a way, she missed him, and Jerry too.

"I feel fine. Ready to get this over with so I can take some time off."

"What're you going to be doing with time off?" he asked Audrina. Hobbs couldn't imagine the girl doing anything but working.

"I don't know. Maybe find a hot blonde to keep me company," she joked, getting a chuckle out of Hobbs. "Speaking of hot…" Red trailed off while nodding to her left to the unexpected visitor heading their way. "I'll catch up with you."

Hobbs nodded and turned to the woman heading his way. He put his hands on his hips and gave her a long once-over.

"Well, well. Nice to see your boyfriend hasn't gotten you killed, Elena."

The Brazilian woman dressed in her Rio P.D outfit stood with a smile, adjusting her backpack on her shoulder.

"Nice to see you again, too, Luke. I heard you guys were taking a trip. Thought I'd tag along, it that's all right."

Hobbs looked into the hurt eyes of the woman who kept on a brave face.

"Are you coming to help me, or help yourself?" Hobbs questioned. "We don't need the love drama in our crew. I need every man focused on bringing these son-of-a-bitches down."

"I'm here to help, but I want what's rightfully mine…" she shrugged before heading for the plane.

"And what's that?" Hobbs quizzed while following her.

"Dominic Toretto."

* * *

It was well into the early morning when Mia was kicked awake by her drunken, sleeping husband. She looked down at Brooklyn, who could sleep through a train wreck, and kissed the beautiful child softly before climbing over her out of bed. Mia was sure to place a pillow between Brian and his daughter so she wouldn't be attacked by his wild slumber. Mia hurried to the bathroom to relieve herself as the beers she slammed back were finally running through her. On her way back to her room, Mia heard soft mumbling coming from outside of Letty's bedroom. She stopped outside the door and put her ear against the wood to listen. She realized it was her brother's deep voice, and tried to have a listen.

Unaware of the true meaning of privacy or knocking, Mia slowly turned knob and pushed the door, opening it wide enough to stick her head in to take a look. Mia's heart melted at the sight in front of her. Dominic was lying on his back on the bed with Julian sitting up on his stomach. Dom laughed as his son used his chest as a race track, dragging his toy cars along his collarbone as they raced for his protruding belly button. Dom's face reddened as he tried to hold back his laughter as Julian raced along his abs and obliques where Dom was most ticklish.

Mia quickly ducked back into her room for her camera before hurrying over to snap a few pictures of the sweet moment. Dom motioned for her to keep quiet as Letty was sleeping soundly on the other side of the bed. When Julian noticed Mia standing with her camera, the photogenic boy gave his biggest smile.

"Tia Mia!" the happy toddler cheered loudly.

"Shh!" Mia hushed the sweet little boy from the door, "Mama's sleeping," she whispered.

Julian's head turned to Letty, "Sowwy, tia Mia. Want to pway?" he asked while holding his cars out to her.

Mia's heart melted at his offer but she had to decline, "No thank you, honey. I think Daddy is having fun playing with you."

"Goodnight Mi," Dom said to Mia with exuberant eyes.

"Goodnight boys," Mia mumbled with a smile before shutting the door and heading back down the hall to her room. Once there, she saw that Brian was now curled up against Brooklyn with his arms wrapped protectively around her. Mia flicked a quick photo of them before crawling in behind Brian, wrapping her arms around as she drifted back to sleep.


	38. Chapter 37

_**Chapter 37-Prepping for Battle**_

_**Two**** days later…**_

The two-way pager that buzzed loudly on the end table startled Letty awake. She rolled over and pushed the device into the floor, silencing it. Sighing, Letty flopped back on the bed as she waited for her heart rate to return to normal. Turning her head, Letty smiled at the bodies next to her. Dom was lying on his back with their son resting gently on his stomach with Dom's hands holding him in place. It didn't appear comfortable, but that was how they slept the past three nights.

Since their night in the garage, Dom had spent every waking moment with Letty and Julian, and even resorted to sleeping in their room at night. Letty didn't mind – Julian loved the time spent with his father and Letty didn't want to take that away from him. Though their intimate moments were few and far between thanks to the rambunctious two year-old, but Letty knew Julian needed his father's affections more than she did.

"How long you gonna stare?" Dom's eyes were closed but his gravelly voice let her knew that he had been awake for a while.

"How long are you gonna pretend to be asleep?" she quipped back before sitting up in the bed.

"As long as I can to keep him down," Dom replied with a smirk. "Good morning."

"Papa wake?" Julian's sleepy voice asked as he sat up straight on Dom's belly. Dom's lips curled into a smile as he finally opened his eyes to stare back at brown pools that mirrored his.

Letty chuckled and leaned in to kiss Dom's lips softly, "Yes, JuJu, Daddy's awake."

"Papa cook pancwakes?" Julian's expressive eyes begged Dominic.

"Yes, Papa will make you pancakes. And shower you and dress you because Mama has to go out with Aunt Mia today," Letty said while kissing Julian's face and ruffling his wild, curly hair. She reached down and tossed him the two-way from the floor. Dom opened it and gave it a quick scan before shutting it again. "What'd it say?"

"Just more directions on the trip. Where are you two going?" Dom asked as he watched her rifled through bags of clothes. "You know we have to get him today."

"I know that, and I promise we won't be long. Mia wants to shop and I have to find new clothes for Julian. Kid is growing faster than I can keep up with," Letty muttered.

"My big monster," Dom said while tickling the boy who howled with laughter.

"Hey! Food, shower, clothes," Letty said while pointing at them.

"Ay, ay captain," Dom teased while saluting her as she left the room. "I guess it's just the boys today, huh?" Julian nodded enthusiastically. "Well let's go get some pancakes. They aren't as good as Aunt Mia's but I think you'll be surprised," Dom lifted the tot and carried him into the living room, where Leon was seated at the bar next to Brian, who looked like he was suffering from the hangover from hell. Carlos and Rob sat in front of bowls of cereal in front of the television, and Jerry typed away on his laptop while bouncing to his headphones.

"Why don't you sit with Uncle Le while I get everything started," Dom sat Julian atop the bar while he headed to the kitchen. "How are you feeling today, Le?"

"I'm good, Brother. Mia gave me some Advil, killed my aches for a while. I'm hoping this coffee will get me going," he said while sipping the drink. "Trying to convince myself that everything will go smoothly today."

"Hey," Dom interjected, "Don't worry. We're going to take care of everything. You just focus on getting better. And you-" Dom hollered while slapping the top of the bar in front of Brian. "No sleeping at the bar."

Brian raised his head with a groan, "Stop yelling. I feel like… crap."

"Well you should. Mia cleaned up your puke. That's the second time this week. What's up with you?"

"Well it's was your baby momma's fault last night. She challenged me to a game of beer bomb." Dom and Leon both began laughing, alarming Brian, "What?"

"That's her game. Nobody could ever beat her… not even Vince," Leon laughed while turning back to his toy race.

"Yeah man, she played you," Dom chuckled. "Gotta stop being so gullible, O'Connor."

Brian shook his head, annoyed that he had been duped again, "Well it looks like Uncle Brian will be putting you through college, JuJu."

Dom and Leon erupted in a louder cackle, forcing Sean and Twinkie out of their rooms.

"What's the laugh?" Sean asked while sitting at the bar. He looked over at Brian with amusement, "Nevermind. The Lightweight."

"Letty hustled O'Connor out of a college tuition," Leon filled them in with a laugh.

"Screw you guys," Brian said with a laugh.

The boys enjoyed a breakfast of pancakes, fried eggs, and bacon. They went over their plans for the day to ensure everyone was clear of their positions.

"Twink, did you get the other things?" Dom asked.

"Yep, in the garage," he nodded towards the side door. Brian and Dom followed him to the garage and to the Jetta where he popped the trunk, revealing two large duffel bags.

"Vests," he opened one, "and guns."

The second bag was full of handguns and semi-automatics.

"Good. We're gonna need 'em," Dom headed back into the garage as he spoke. "I want everyone to be packed and loaded up before we leave. We get Luke, come back for the girls, and then we're going straight to Berlin. No stops, no returns."

"Got it," they said excitedly. These men were itching for a little adrenaline.

"Morning guys," Mia said as she entered the room with Brooklyn in her arms and Letty on her tail.

"Morning Mi," Leon said while planting a kiss on her cheeks.

"How ya livin' Le?" Letty asked while slapping his back, taking a seat next to him.

"Bueno, mami. Excited to see Luke. What about you?" his tone was condescending, and it annoyed Letty a little.

"Of course. Mia and I will try to be quick," she replied.

"No trying. Girls, I need you back here at noon to start packing," Dom griped.

"All right, already!" Mia yanked Letty towards the door.

"Sean and Twink, go with them," Dom ordered.

"No way, Dom. We don't need a babysitter," Letty protested. "We aren't fifteen anymore, Dom. "

"You're not going out alone. You never know what can happen. Mia, what about Rio? Vince found you just in time. We aren't gonna get that lucky every time," Dom reminded her.

"That was isolated. Besides, I have Letty. She's just as scary," Mia laughed as she and Lett eased out of the door.

"Mia!" Dom hollered but she was already out of the door.

"Boys, follow them. And if Lett gives you a hard time, drag her back."

* * *

Luke's body felt like he was high atop a mountain looking down below, but feeling no fear. He felt invincible as adrenaline and methamphetamines raced through his veins. He stood with his new-found strength on wobbly legs and looked out the small window that overlooked the work stations below.

Luke felt an ache on his arm and looked down to see a bruise forming where he was injected. He wanted to cry, to scream, but he knew it wouldn't do him any good. These men didn't care about his feelings.

Luke lost count of how many injections were slammed into his body in the past three days, but he knew he couldn't handle much more. He felt himself craving the rush, and that wasn't a good sign. Aside from his heart nearly beating out of his chest, he felt edgy and incredibly aware. Luke's senses were in overload, the smells and sounds of the building heightened. He couldn't help scratching at his arms once the skin-crawling sensation hit him.

"_Don't scratch the itch. It'll help on your skin."_

He remembered Erik's words of advice and shoved his hands on his pockets. He was startled by the loud metal door swinging open.

"How are you, Lucas?" Alvaro asked as he stepped into the room.

_Leaving the door ajar_, Luke noticed.

"Like I've been sentenced to death by meth kingpin. Why are you doing this to me?" Luke pleaded, "I've never been anything but good in my life!"

"Oh Lukey! Don't be so dramatic. Everyone has to deal with a little opposition and catastrophe at least once in their lives. It's all a just a test of faith by your 'God'," he mocked.

Luke's eyes focused on the door ajar behind him and wondered if he could make it.

"Now, we have a new product arriving soon and we are going to do a little experimenting. I just wanted to check your vitals and stability," Alvaro stepped closer and pointed a flashlight in his eyes.

Luke gathered all his strength and brought his knee up to Alvaro's crotch, nailing his target. Alvaro doubled over in pain while Luke made a run for it. He made it to the door, dragging the heavy chains along but the massive guard waiting outside proved to be the real obstacle. Luke bolted for the guard with fury, but the weight of the chains on his legs quickly wore him down. The guard stood with a cocky grin as Luke was jerked to a halt only ten feet from his door. The restraints kept him from moving another inch.

"Where do you think you're going?" Koenig snarled as he stumbled after his hostage. "I thought you were the smart, sensible brother."

Koenig drug the chains and Luke back towards the room.

"Help me! Please! Someone!" Luke cried out as he fought with all his might to get free.

Erik appeared at the end of the hallway and looked on with fear. Luke's eyes begged for help as he was shoved back onto the concrete floor of the room.

"Now, let's not try that again, OK?" Alvaro kicked Lucas hard in the ribs to reiterate his point. "I'll be back in thirty minutes."

Koenig and his goon stormed out the room, leaving Luke curled in a ball on the floor. He cradled his stomach while sitting up against the wall.

"Fuck!" he cried out. "Leon! Please help me!" Lucas shouted at the top of his lungs with raw emotion as tears poured from his face.

He needed his big brother, his protector.

The door creaked open again and Luke prepared his self for a battle. Only this time, it was Erik.

"I can't do this, Erik," Luke wept as the boy entered the room. "I'm not tough like my brother. I can't handle this shit!"

"Relax, Lucas. I've come with good news," Erik said while reaching into his pocket, "I bought a cell phone. It's one of those disposable ones that can't be tracked. Maybe you can call your brother."

Luke stared at the phone as if it were solid gold. He snatched the burner from Erik's hand and steadily dialed Leon's number.

"Come on, Le. Pick up," Luke begged as he listened to the phone ring several times.

"'Lo?" a younger voice picked up.

"Hello – Julian?" Luke was shocked to hear Letty's two year-old son on the other end.

"'Uke? Hi 'Uke!" Julian happily replied into the phone. The innocence on the other end gave Luke hope that he would make it out.

"Hi JuJu! I need you to get Uncle LeLe for me," Luke prayed that the brilliant two year-old could actually understand what he was asking.

"OK!" he replied and Luke waited patiently. Nothing happened next but he could hear his brother's voice in the background.

"_Julian, who are you talking to?_ Wrong number, sorry," Leon's voice said before the call ended.

"Leon?" Luke whispered into the phone as he realized his brother was gone. "He hung up."

"Well call back!" Erik rushed as he heard commotion in the hall. Luke listened into the phone again before Erik snatched it from his ear and dashed out of the room.

* * *

_**Leon's POV**_

After watching Dom struggle to chase down and dress the antsy Julian, we decided to do some work in the garage. We had a few cars to finish for the Brothers before we skipped town, and nothing fired me up more than sticking my head in an engine. It was sweet watching Dom with Julian in his lap, already teaching the kid everything he would have to know behind the wheel. I thought about how great it would be to one day teach my kid the way of the world. My mind wandered from cars, to kids, to James after a while. I knew the tough Reno kid and I would have it out, but I never anticipated it to be that intense. I loved the guy, he had become my right-hand man over the past two years, but he was a disease. A disease that would've eventually killed me.

"You boys want a beer?" I asked after deciding to take a break.

"Dom said no drinking. We need to be clear for this," replied Brian.

"I guess I'll grab some sodas," I made my way to the house, where Dom was rifling through the fridge himself. "What'cha looking for, Big Guy?"

"Letty said something about letting him snack on strawberries when he's hungry. She likes to give him fresh fruit. He keeps crying for cherries. She said he was allergic to something, but I can't remember if it's blueberries or cherries," Dom panicked as he stood with fruit bowls in both hands.

"How about just giving him the strawberries then?" I chuckled while reaching around him for a few drinks.

"Yeah, I can do that," Dom finally decided, looking completely rattled. _Ask the man to choose between a V8 and a V10 engine and he's Einstein. Put him in front of a hungry, crying child and he's clueless_. "Look, Julian's on the phone," Dom chuckled while pointing to his son who had _my_ cell phone up to his ear.

"Hi 'Uke!" he said happily into the phone. I sighed as he listened to someone he thought was my brother. "OK," Julian said and ran to me with the phone.

"Julian, who are you talking to? Wrong number, sorry," I said quickly into the phone before ending the call. I kneeled down in front of the toddler and held up the phone. "You can't play with this, OK? It's not a toy, buddy. It's very important."

"But 'Uke say 'ello," Julian replied with a whimper.

"I know you miss Luke, JuJu. I do too, but he's not-" the vibration of my phone silenced me. I didn't recognize the number, but I took a chance and answered it. "Hello?"

"Listen carefully. Luke is on the second floor, north of the staircase, last door on the end. There is a back entrance to the building that isn't guarded, but a sniper takes watch over the door. Bring a torch."

The call abruptly ended and left me dumbfounded. I tried the number again, only this time the line was disconnected.

"Everything all right?" Dom asked while feeding his son the fruit.

"No," I said still partially in shock, "Someone just called about Luke, gave up his precise location in the plant. They said to bring a torch."

Dom's eyes hardened, "Let's saddle up. The girls should be back soon."

After Julian tired himself out chasing Jessie the puppy, we suited up as he slept. The next twenty minutes was spent finishing the cars and preparing ourselves for battle. Each man was fitted with a bulletproof vest and equipped themselves with pistols and shotguns. We loaded our cars with our packed luggage and went over last-minute details with the cars before the girls showed up.

"Whoa. When did we move in with these robocops?" Letty teased as she and Mia unloaded their bags from the car. Brooklyn bounced from the backseat with her favorite doll and made a made dash for Brian.

"We have a specific location on Luke. We're going for it," I said seriously, wiping the smile from her face. "Anything you want me to tell him?"

Letty stormed in my direction, "What the hell is your problem, Leon? I thought you of all people would like to see our family whole again."

"I don't like to see my baby brother hurt. I'm glad you and Dom reconnected, that's great, Lett. But only one heart is gonna end up broken because of it."

"Luke knew the situation with me," she replied with a pained look in her eyes. "We agreed together that if Dom showed up, I would try to work it out with him for the sake of Julian. He understood that!"

"This isn't for Julian, Letty!" I yelled, getting Dom's attention now that he was joining us in the lot. "You and Dom fucking in the garage wasn't for Julian. You are selfish."

Letty scowled at me as I turned for the Jetta, ignoring Dom's yells as I slid in and started the engine.

"That was cruel," Jerry said as he slid in next to me.

"Yeah," I sighed while dropping my head on the wheel. "I know. She's going to kick my ass later for it, too."


	39. Chapter 38

_**Chapter 38-Operation: Brotherly Love**_

"Bobby, you got visual on the sniper?" Dom asked the biker from his position in the alley near the plant. He was staring up at the ex-sniper vet-turned-biker who was strategically located high atop the roof of an adjacent building.

"I do. He's directly behind the billboards."

Dom looked with his binoculars across the plant to see the sniper relaxed in a lawn chair behind two billboard signs.

"Take him," Dom said into his phone.

Dom and Brian watched as the guard was struck by the long-range shot, dropping his lifeless body ten floors down to the ground below.

"Ouch," Brian chuckled. He gave Bobby a thumbs-up before pulling out his gun and cocking it.

"Let's go, guys," Dom said and led Brian, Sean, Carlos, Rob, and Leon over to the back door of the plant.

Dom pulled the door open slowly and peered down the empty hall. Leon went in first with his gun pointed ahead. They crept carefully to the end of the hall that split off into two directions, left and right. There were massive guards towering in front of the doors, both with pistols tucked into their slacks.

"Twink, we're at the back entrance. There's two doors with roadblocks in front of them, where do they lead?" Sean whispered into his phone.

"The one on your left leads to a bunch of rooms, they used to be control rooms, storage rooms, meeting rooms. It's hard to tell what they are now. The one on your right goes down to the boiler room."

Dom nudged Carlos and Rob and nodded towards the security. Both men zipped their jackets to hide the vests and pulled their hoods over their heads before stepping out into the hall.

"Where the hell did you two come from?" the guard exclaimed as he stepped forward with his weapon pointed.

"We're looking for a doctor. Our friend is hurt," Rob said with faux worry in his voice.

"Does this look like a fucking hospital to you?" the other guard sneered as they both headed for Carlos and Rob. The boys backed down the hall, leading the men to the others.

As they rounded the corner, Dom and Brian swung at both guards, only neither of the jacked-up men went down. They instead stood like angry bulls before charging at the guys. Dom and Brian had to improvise, Dom with the butt of his shotgun and Brian with a flying knee to the target's face. Both men went down hard, leaving them the daunting task of dragging the dead weight out of sight. After the bodies were disposed Leon led his friends to the door on the left, opening it to find a large corridor of pipes and tanks that crowded the space.

"All right boys, first we find Luke, and then I find Koenig," Leon said.

"That wasn't the plan, Leon. We get Luke and we get the hell out of dodge. We get our revenge when this is all over," Dom argued as they made their way across the tons of steel to the front of the building.

"He didn't tie up you and Mia and use you as test dummies for ice," Leon whispered harshly as he shoved Dom away. "So don't tell me about revenge, Dom."

"Guys, enough," Brian moved between the two. He and Dom shared a look before Brian motioned his eyes to Leon, whose tremors were in full effect. Dom realized that it was the detoxing that had Leon so high-strung and decided not to push him further. "Now is not the time. We need to keep our heads on straight."

Dom nodded and brushed past Leon to the first door, where a small window showed dozens of people milling about dressed in lab coats.

"Must be his scientists," Brian observed. "Silencers guys. Let's try to keep it to minimal damage."

The men followed his lead and twisted on the suppressors to their handguns. Dom yanked open the door and they rushed the room, pointing their weapons at anyone who crossed their paths.

"Hey, you can't go in there," Dr. Abel Goddard said as he noticed the gang hustling down the hall.

Leon recognized him as Luke's doctor from the hospital, and as the man who cooked up Alvaro's drugs that were given to the prisoners. Leon didn't slow up stride as he raised his weapon to fire at the doctor, striking the center of his head with a bullet. He locked eyes with Dom, who only gave him an approving nod before continuing on.

"Nobody moves, nobody dies. I'm not in the mood to shoot any more people, so don't make me," Leon warned as they rushed the meth worker station. "Dom, look," he nodded to the staircase that would hopefully lead to Luke.

"You… Where's Koenig?" Brian asked the nearest security guard with his gun in his face.

While Brian interrogated the guard, Carlos, Rob, and Sean moved to padlock every door closed except for the front entrance. They needed to ensure no other guards could get inside, and that they had a safe and quick exit.

"I'll never rat," the guard snarled, spitting at Brian's shoes.

Before Brian could reply, the guard's brains was splattered everywhere, including on Dom and his guys. They turned to find Leon pointing his smoking gun at the other crew workers.

"Somebody wanna answer his question?" Leon asked. He moved to another guard and put the gun to his temple, "Wie heißen Sie?" ("What's your name?")

"Tobias," the man growled.

"Leon, let's go," Dom said as he looked at his watch. They were on a strict schedule.

"Tobias, where is Koenig? Don't end up like your friend."

Tobias pointed up the stairs and Leon nudged him quickly in Koenig's direction. Dom and Brian took him to Koenig while Leon followed Sean and the others to Lucas. The closer Leon got to the last door on the left, the harder his heart pounded against his chest. He didn't know what condition his baby brother would be in after spending five days hostage in Alvaro's meth lab.

"This is it, last door on the left," Sean said stopping in front of the massive metal door.

"Luke!" Leon yelled while banging on the door. He kicked hard at the door, but the metal proved to be too much for his weary body. Leon began to panic as he stared at the padlock that separated him from his only blood relatives.

"Move back," he said while pointing his gun at the lock. He fired at the lock precisely enough to disarm it. Sean joined him in kicking the door in with success.

Leon immediately sunk down to his knees at the sight of Luke's slumped body in the corner of the room. He was covered in bruises, a heavy amount of sweat and his head lay slumped forward on his chest.

"Oh, Lukey," Leon cried as he crawled to his brother. Leon lifted Lukes, but his brother was unresponsive.

"Check for a pulse," a voice said from the door. Leon turned to see a young boy in a beanie standing in the doorway. He did as he was told and let out a sigh of relief when he felt the light thumping against his fingertips. "He's just dealing with the affects. They shot him about ten minutes ago."

Leon clutched Lucas to him as he cried out in frustration. The tremendous amount of guilt he felt for his brother's condition weighed heavily on Leon's heart.

"I'm so sorry, Luke. I never meant for this to happen to you, baby-boy," Leon said between sobs.

"Come on, Leon. We gotta go," Sean said softly from the door. Frankly, Sean couldn't bear to watch the sad scene any longer.

"Let's get you home, buddy," Leon mumbled as Carlos and Rob used the torch to melt away the thick chains that bound Luke to the room. After he was free from the restraints, they helped get Luke to his unstable feet.

"I'm coming with you," the boy said with determination in his eyes.

"You're the one that called?" Leon asked, apprehensive of the teen. "What's your name?"

"Erik. I've been helping Luke through the injections. Tough guy."

"Stick close but don't get in the way."

Tobias led Dominic and Brian down the hall to Alvaro's office. The three stood outside the door and listened for confirmation. When Dom heard Koenig's voice, he slammed Tobias' head off the door, he dropping his unconscious body to the floor before kicking in the door.

Koenig sat in front of a mountain of cocaine while screaming into the receiver of his phone. His guards jumped to their feet, but Dom's shotgun frightened them back into their seats. When Alvaro finally took notice of their invasion, he hung up the phone with a smirk.

"Boys, what can I do for you? I thought we weren't scheduled for a meeting for another four days," he asked while using a knife to set up a line for himself. He offered the metal tray up to them, "Interested?"

"Not really," Brian quipped while kicking the tray out of his hands, sending the powdery substance into the air. "Oops."

Alvaro glared at Brian with daggers before sitting back and crossing his arms over his chest. "OK. What do you want? Besides a closed-casket funeral."

Dom's phone buzzed his pocket and he retrieved it to read the message on the screen.

"We have what we want. We just wanted to make some things clear," Dom growled while keeping his shotgun trained on the guard. "We are not afraid of you. Team Toretto fears no man. We agreed to do the competition and we will honor that. But as of today, your debt from Leon is cleared. He owes you nothing. And Luke is coming with us."

"Well Mr. Toretto, while I do admire your bravery, I detest your stupidity."

"And why is that?"

"Thinking you're gonna make it out of here alive," Koenig said while reaching under his desk. Before he could reach his gun, Brian fired his weapon at Koenig, hitting him in the space between his shoulder and elbow. As a former cop, Brian knew where to shoot that the pain would be tolerable while still incapacitating a perp. They watched as blood seeped through his white button-up. Alvaro clenched his wound to try to stop the blooding but it was no use.

Dom looked at O'Connor with a smile. Brian shrugged, "What? He was reaching. Old habits die hard."

"So it's like this… after this game is done and you have your weapons, our relationship is done. You will not come near my family; you will not threaten my family again. Am I clear?" Dom growled while shoving the barrel of his shotgun in Alvaro's wound. Alvaro howled in pain as Dom wedged the hot metal in the bleeding hole. "Am I clear?"

"Yeah," Koenig groaned in surrender.

Another presence in the room caught their attention. They turned to see Leon in the doorway, his eyes fixated on the three syringes that he twirled between his fingers. Leon entered the room slowly, contemplating the consequences of the actions he was about to take. Flashes of his brother's drugged and battered body lit up his brain like a fireworks show, the pain and anguish Luke experienced only fueled Leon's rage even more.

"I thought day in and day out about what I would do to you when I got the chance. I wanted to inflict the most gruesome torture on you, then I realized that would make me no better than you," Leon stopped in front of Alvaro, who's eyes were double their normal size as he watched his former captive tower over him. Leon's fiery emerald eyes bore holes into Alvaro's face as he tossed one of the syringes on the dusty tray in front of him.

"Slam it," Leon roared as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Leon-" Brian wanted out of the plant. He tried to tug at Leon's arm but the Cuban's feet were planted firm.

Alvaro chuckled, shoving the tray away, "Fuck you!"

Leon brandished his gun, putting it to Alvaro's forehead.

"Two of your men have their brains splattered on that floor out there. I'd hate to have to ruin these nice, shag rugs," Leon kicked the plate back to Koenig. "Shoot it or I shoot you."

Dominic watched the scene closely. As much as he would love to see Koenig dead, he didn't want this to become a part of who Leon was. He wasn't a cold-blooded killer, yet he had already killed two men without a flinch. Leon was a sweet guy who loved his friends, blonde women, and imports. He was tough when it came to protecting his family and being a street kid, but a killer he was not.

Koenig began to sob as he slammed the needle into his arm and injected the clear liquid into his arm. Leon tossed down a second syringe and kept the gun to Koenig's head. He watched as Alvaro injected himself once again with the deadly drug.

"Please… stop," Alvaro begged as the fast-acting drug started its course through his body. Leon leaned in near Alvaro's ear, "Erik's coming with us. I realize this is no place for a kid. If you ever so much as travel to the same country he's in, I will hunt you down. He'll be safe, I give you my word on that. As for you… well that's for you to decide."

"You will not take my Erik. He belongs with this family!" Alvaro struggled to focus as he collapsed against the leather sofa.

"This ain't a family. The fucking kid is terrified here. I won't let you ruin anymore lives," Leon growled in his face before stabbing Alvaro Koenig in the neck with the last syringe, injecting the powerful drug into his body. Leon turned without another word and headed for the door.

"Have a good day, fellas," Brian said with a smile as he and Dom walked out behind him.

* * *

_**Letty's POV**_

I scowled at the Jetta that Leon had just disappeared into before storming inside the clubhouse. I was livid with him, but I didn't want to throw the boys off their game by beating his face in. Instead I stormed to the fridge for a beer, but my rage forced me to launch the bottle at the wall, shattering glass and the alcoholic beverage all over the floor. I stood behind the bar panting as I contemplated kicking Leon's ass.

As if I weren't already dealing with the thought of Luke returning while Dom and I were reconnecting, Leon had to throw it in my face in front of everyone. What happened between Dom and I wasn't any of his business. I was shocked by Leon's behavior, but I couldn't say I didn't understand it.

"You all right?" Dom asked softly as he stepped into the room slowly.

"Who the hell does he think he is, talking to me like that? He's lucky I didn't make him choke on my fucking boot," I replied angrily while pacing back and forth behind the wooden bar. I noticed out the corner of my eye Dom approaching slowly, but he made sure to keep his distance.

"Leon's not himself. He's coming down off of all these drugs, he doesn't know what he's saying," said Dom.

"Bullshit!" I yelled, slamming my hands on the bartop. "Leon knew exactly what he was saying. He couldn't have been any clearer calling me a tramp."

Dom came to me, placing his hands on my shoulders and giving them a light squeeze, "You're not a tramp. You fell for a guy who was there for you and my son. I abandoned you, and he rescued you. I owe Lucas everything," Dom said softly while rubbing my cheek.

I looked up into his brown eyes that were soft and consoling before sighing, "If it's so easy for you to understand, why can't he?"

"Because Leon is Luke's big brother. He feels like he has to protect him from anything that might hurt him, including you and I. He'll come around," Dom said while planting a soft kiss on my forehead. He took a whiff of my hair before looking back down to me, "When he comes back… Letty, if things change, I'll understand."

I narrowed my eyes at him in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"You two never really had a chance to figure it out. If you wanted to pick things back up with him-" Dom said before I interrupted him by crashing my lips onto his. He grabbed my face, pulling me closer as his tongue danced with my own. I pulled away, all my frustrations eased.

"If you remember, you and I never had a chance to figure things out either before you took off in the middle of the night," I teased, trying to get a smile out of him, only his eyes remained worried. "Seriously, Dom; You finally get me back and now you're trying to pawn me off?"

"Dom, we gotta get moving," Brian hollered in the room before slipping out again.

"Let's just wait until we get back, then you can decide," Dom said before kissing my lips softly and turning on his heels for the door.

I sighed and moved to the lounge area where Mia and the kids were seated in front of the television. I flopped down between Brooklyn and Julian and pulled both children into my arms.

I wished I was back to their age where none of this shit mattered. Only cartoons and pancakes.

"What're you gonna do?" Mia asked from her spot on the sofa. Looking up at her, she seemed so calm and relaxed as she read her German tabloid.

"How are you not freaking out?" I asked the usually-spastic Mia. I was expecting her normal dramatics, yet she relaxed as if they were going out for ice cream.

"Why should I be freaking? You're the one with two boyfriends out there," Mia laughed and I smacked her leg in response.

"Not helping. Seriously, Mi."

"As sad as it is to say… I'm used to it. But I feel better knowing that they're out there together. They protect each other. Kinda like brothers," I loosened up before turning back to the television. "Now what are you gonna do?"

I kept my eyes glued to the television hoping that some answer would come from this children's show, "I have no freaking clue."

* * *

Leon fumbled his cigarette pack into the floorboard of the Jetta as he tried desperately to remove a stick. His nerves were shot and he craved the menthol as he barreled down the autobahn on his way to Berlin. His eyes kept flicking back to his brother, who was still out of it in the backseat, then over to the young boy Erik, who also hadn't spoken a word since the drive began. Erik seemed relieved as he had finally removed his beanie to show shaggy blonde curls and relaxed into the bucket seat, leaning his head on the window. Leon finally managed to get the cigarette lit and took a long drag, smoke billowing from his quivering lips as he exhaled slowly. Leon felt the tension easing away at him so he flipped on the radio to kill the silence. Some soft rock song came on and Leon felt himself tapping along with the catchy tune.

"So what's your story, Kid? Tell me I didn't aid and abet the running away of a minor for nothing," Leon said.

"Well like I told Lucas. Alvaro is my uncle, my mother's brother. I was raised in the United States, but after my mother died in an accident, I was forced by my grandfather to live with my uncle Alvie. He's an asshole."

"Well that's all adults in general, Erik. That's no reason to run away."

Erik lifted his pants to show numerous cuts and bruises that matched the ones on his forearms, "I don't belong with him. I can take care of myself."

"Jesus, kid. What does he do to you?" Leon exclaimed as he felt remorse for the young boy's life.

"Anything he can. He says I piss him off a lot, so he roughs me up. Usually if he catches me talking to the help, or his hostages," Erik replied. "You can drop me off at the airport. I can find my way home."

"I'm not dropping you off. You are gonna stick with us until we get things settled. Now, where's home?"

"Cleveland, Ohio. But I want to travel west and see California and Washington one day," Erik said hopefully.

Leon's face suddenly beamed at the mention of his hometown, "Cali is beautiful. All the fine women and cars you could find for miles."

"You've been there?"

"I used to live there, man. I would love to go back…" Leon trailed off sadly, but he knew there was no chance in hell that he'd make it over the U.S border without facing arrest.

"We have a long trip. Can you tell me about it? What was it like?" the teenager asked while adjusting in his seat to give Leon his attention.

Leon smiled and nodded, "OK, Erik. I'll tell ya something… you'll never find another place quite like California."


	40. Chapter 39

_**Chapter 39-Choices**_

_**Dom's POV**_

After sending Leon off to Berlin ahead of the others and the boys back to the clubhouse, I found myself stuck at an intersection pondering what to do next. A part of me wanted to follow them back. Another part wanted to hightail it as far away from them as possible.

I had somehow convinced myself that once Luke was back to good condition, he and Letty would rekindle their romance and I'd be left on the outs again. Sure, things seemed better, was it only because Luke was away? Would he remind her how much she hated me before? I couldn't stand the thought of her wanting him more than me. I never took rejection well; not that I had many rejections, but the ones from Letty always hurt the most.

But the thought of running out on her again, this time leaving her with our child was out of the question. Regardless of everything, I was finally building a relationship with my son that I wasn't willing to give up. I had hurt them enough. I nearly got her killed… I couldn't leave them now just because I was scared.

And boy was I scared.

* * *

_**Letty's POV**_

"JuJu, please stop with that, honey," I begged my son for the fifth time to leave alone the various tools scattered about the garage.

_You also told the adults to put the tools away, too_, I reminded myself.

I lifted the boy and sat him inside the Aston Martin as I finished loading our bags in the car. I was in a sour mood from the conversation with Dom earlier, and now the thought of running again aggravated me more. I was tired of moving and I couldn't wait for all of this to be done so we could settle down for good.

I heard the rumblings of the high-performance cars and knew the boys were back. I sighed with relief as Brian's Nissan roared in first, followed by the others.

All except the Challenger and the Jetta.

At that moment, the familiar wail of Julian caught my attention. I followed his cries for help to the garage yet again where he stood next to a hammer, his face red and sobbing. He held his finger out to me that had a tiny cut with a light drizzle of blood seeping from the wound.

"Juju! I told you to stay away mijo!" I lost my temper, which only made him scream harder. I immediately softened my face and scooped him up in my arms. "I'm sorry, mijo. Mommy didn't mean to yell."

"Is he all right?" Mia asked as she suddenly appeared with Brooklyn in her arms. Brian approached at that time as well.

"Apparently none of the _children_ around here listen," I scolded Brian and the boys. "I told you guys not to leave those tools out. Julian cut his finger."

"I told you guys to clean up," Brian - like the weasel he was - placed the blame elsewhere.

"Mia, get me a bandaid, will you?" After she was out of earshot inside, I questioned the Buster. "Where's Dom and Leon? And Luke?"

"Leon and Luke are fine… sorta. They went on to Berlin," I let out another relieved sigh. "Dom, well I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know, O'Connor?"

"He was right behind us. We lost him about four blocks back. I'm sure he just got caught up at a light," Brian waved off.

"Shit, " I mumbled under my breath as Mia quickly returned with the bandage.

I sat Julian down on the trunk of the Vanquish and wiped his wound with the antiseptic wipe before kissing the tiny appendage.

"See. Better?" once he was convinced he would make it, he gave me a sad nod and I tucked the band-aid around his finger. "What is it, baby?"

"Papa?!" Julian whined, peaking Mia's interest.

"Yeah, where is Dom? And Leon?" Mia asked.

"Leon and Luke went ahead," Sean added, "Dom is…" Sean trailed clueless.

But _I_ knew.

"He's running," I said angrily as I stomped over to Brian, shoving Julian in his arms before hurrying to the Vanquish.

"What do you mean?"Brian asked. "Running from what?"

I slammed the door and fired up the beast, "Me. Again."

I shoved the car in drive before hauling ass down the gravel driveway. I came to a harsh stop at the exit as I was unsure of where to go next.

"Damnit!" I screamed as I slammed my hand down on the wheel. I turned left and pushed my car quickly down the street.

I knew what Dom was doing. I had become a pro at watching him walk out on me. He did it a few months after we first started dating after I caught him doing more than talking to some skank at an after-party. Then again the D.R.

When Dominic panicked, he ran. He always thought he could out-race his problems, but he was too narrow-headed to see that it only made things worse.

I drove around aimlessly before I heard the roar of the Challenger close by. I turned my head to see Dom parked at the intersection ahead of me. I watched as he sat parked for quite a while, even after it turned green. The angry honks of drivers behind him didn't even get Dom's attention. I knew he was flustered when he didn't notice me drive past and turn to sit in the lane on his driver's side.

"You got some serious balls, man," I said after honking to get his attention. The fear was plastered on Dom's face, but an outsider wouldn't be able to tell. His eyes were sad and his body language was tense, but Dom kept on his game face.

"What're you doing here?" he asked after turning back to the road.

"I just wanted to be able to explain to Julian the look on his father's face the day he walked out on him."

Dom's eyes grilled me, but he didn't respond.

"Are you going to make me go back and explain to your sister that you left her again? Baby Brooklyn, too? Cause you got scared?" I taunted.

"You shouldn't be here."

"Neither should you. Tough shit."

Dom's knuckle-white grip on the wheel told me that he was more afraid than I thought. His veins looked as if they'd explode any second.

"Go home to our kid."

"If I'm going alone, he becomes _my_ kid," I said heatedly. He finally broke his hold on the wheel and turned to look at me. "What would Dino say if he saw you walking on me and your son? His grandson?" Dom's fiery eyes faltered, "He'd tell you to get your ass back in there and man up. Look after your sister, your family. Ride or die."

Dom's eyes looked with mine as my words went through his mind. He suddenly broke out into a smile, "Then he'd smack you upside the head for using unladylike language."

I too smiled at the memory of Dom's father's harsh punishment.

"Get home, I'm right behind you," he ordered as he nodded to the green light.

"Don't make me hunt you down, Toretto," I threatened as I drove ahead of him, making sure to keep a close distance so he didn't try anything slick.

Back at the house, the others stood around their cars in the lot as we pulled in. I watched Dom with close scrutiny as he pulled Julian from Brian's arms and cradled his son. I swallowed the painful lump in my throat to keep from crying before hopping back in my car, slamming the door behind. I realized that I came extremely close to becoming a single mother and it angered me to the core. I fired up the car and prepared to leave one family disaster for another.

* * *

The tension was thick the moment Letty stepped in her car. Mia's eyes were filled with tears as she bore holes in Dom's head. She wanted to scream, cry, and slap him as hard as she could… but she didn't. She turned on her heels and headed for the Nissan and buckled her daughter in the backseat. Before she slipped in the driver's side, she said her final words to her brother.

"You're pathetic, Dominic. You need to grow the hell up."

Dom's heart sank into his stomach as his sister's venomous words spewed out. He chanced a glance at O'Connor, who only shook his head and moved to get in his Toyota 86. The others followed suit, with Sean in the Mustang and Twink in the BMW L5, the waited for their struggling leader to ride out.

"JuJu ride with Papa?" the tot asked eagerly while looking into his father's teary eyes.

Dom couldn't hide his smile or stop the tears at the sight of his mini-me, "Yeah, Kid. You're riding with Papa."

"Hey D, I just got the call about the trackers. It took some work, but the signals will show us here until the day of the race. If something happens and the race gets a surprise start, we're screwed. If they have hackers, they might be able to override the system, but it'll at least get us a headstart."

"That's fine. We'll be out of Europe long before the race starts."

"What do you mean? Like _really_ stealing the weapons from the government, and these mobsters?" Twink asked incredulously. "Are you freaking crazy, Dominic?!"

"Maybe, Twinkie. Just maybe," Dom said before leaning to buckle Julian in his car seat. Dom handed him a few of his toys before sliding in the driver's seat himself.

* * *

It was almost two hours later before Leon stopped for food. His stomach was growling, and now that he was finally had an appetite, he wanted to take advantage of it. He found a fast food restaurant that resembled a McDonalds and parked in the lot. He looked in the back to see Lucas still out of it, but Leon's worry had long gone. As long as he was still breathing, at this point that's all Leon cared about. Erik had to reassure him several times that Luke would come out of it.

Leon and Erik hurried inside and ordered five of the biggest burgers he could, two orders of fries, and three large sodas before rushing back to the car. They climbed back in with the massive order and began digging into the food, devouring one of the delicious burgers in less than a minute. He was shoveling fries into his mouth when he noticed Erik munching hungrily on his burger as well. The boy was thin, but not skinny enough to alarm him, but the food couldn't have been the best in the plant so he didn't speak on it.

Leon stopped chewing when stirring in the backseat startled him. He turned to see Luke's eyes flickering open and his hand clenching at his head.

"You gonna share some of that?" Luke asked groggily as he sat up in the seat.

"Oh man! Boy am I glad to see you awake," Leon exclaimed happily while grabbing his brother by the head and kissing him affectionately.

"Ew Le! You got chewed-up food on me," Luke scoffed while wiping the debris from his face. He finally noticed the familiar face in the passenger seat and gave a small smile, "I see you've met Erik."

"You need to be thanking Erik. He helped us rescue you."

Luke rustled Erik's wild hair playfully from the backseat, "Thanks, kiddo. I owe you a huge one. Really, whatever you need, you just say it."

"Well…" Erik trailed off before turning to Leon with a smile. "I want to go to California. I want you to teach me to race."

Leon and Luke shared a smile with each other, "I see Leon's already corrupted you."

"Hey, I didn't do it," Leon said defensively, "the Jetta did."

"She's fast. I want to race, Luke. Seriously … you owe me," Erik said frankly. Luke turned to his brother for advice, but Leon was suddenly more interested in his fries than the conversation.

"Alright, Erik. I'll teach you to race. But first… where are we?"

"Can you eat that?" Leon asked while passing the food back to his brother. "We're in Leipzig, about two and half hours out of Berlin. "

Luke looked down at the greasy unhealthy food that enticed his nostrils, "I can sure as hell try."

The three kept the chatter light and easy as they ate, talking about everything from California scenery to the better cars… imports or muscle.

"Import all the way," said Erik.

"Dom would argue you up and down the street if he heard you saying that," Leon teased; unaware that he had instantly created an awkward tension at the mention of Dominic. "Sorry, bro," Leon said at the sadness etched on Luke's face as he slowly chewed.

"Don't worry about it. I don't even want to think about that," Luke brushed off, but Leon wasn't having it.

"I know, but it's not something that's gonna go away, Luke. Dom and Letty-" Leon started after a bout of silence from his brother but one angry look from Luke shut him up. "OK. Let's get back on the road then."

"Where is everyone anyways?" Luke asked after Leon returned the Jetta to the road.

"I got a call from Brian an hour ago saying that they were on the road. The plan is to find a place in Berlin to hide out for a few days, do this job, and get the hell out of dodge."

"I got a feeling things don't normally go that easily for this team?" Erik asked with a smile that Leon returned.

"Nah, Erik, they never do."


End file.
